Overview

• The GA-ASI YFQ-42A made its first flight on Aug. 27 at a California test site, generating data on airworthiness, autonomy, and mission-system integration.
• The flight marks concept-to-flight progress in under two years, which Air Force leaders cite as a deliberate shift to faster acquisition.
• A structured learning campaign now moves forward with vendor-led tests, independent evaluations at Edwards AFB, and operational assessments by the Experimental Operations Unit at Nellis AFB.
• CCA sits within the Next Generation Air Dominance family as a modular, software-defined effort that maintains competition across vendors and uses open-system architectures.
• GA-ASI has begun flight testing with the Air Force as Anduril’s YFQ-44A prepares in parallel, with a competitive Increment 1 production decision planned for fiscal 2026.