FQ-42A Dark Merlin
Overview
GA-ASI's Collaborative Combat Aircraft: a purpose-built uncrewed fighter designed for modular mission-system integration, with planned variants for surveillance, air-to-air and air-to-ground work. It is among the first aircraft to carry the FQ designation, F for fighter and Q for uncrewed. The YFQ-42A prototype flew in August 2025, 15 months after contract award, was lost in an April 2026 autopilot mishap, and returned to flight in May 2026. Production was ordered on June 17, 2026 at a program target cost near $30 million per aircraft. The mission autonomy that flies it comes from a separate competition: Collins Aerospace's Sidekick software has been flying the aircraft, and the primary autonomy provider for Increment 1 is chosen by summer 2027.
Production contract awarded June 17, 2026; line converted to six CCAs a month, no deliveries announced yet.