February 11, 2026 at 1:57 AM
YFQ-42 Fighter Drone To Test USMC’s Autonomy ‘Brain’ Alongside Crewed Jets
General Atomics' YFQ-42 has been selected by the Marines to test how CCAs will think and fight with the MAGTF. The post YFQ-42 Fighter Drone To Test USMC’s Autonomy ‘Brain’ Alongside Crewed Jets appeared first on The War...
The YFQ-42 has been selected by the USMC “for evaluation in the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program,” according to a release from the manufacturer of the drone, General Atomics. The aircraft is one of two Collaborative Combat Aircraft (uncrewed ‘fighters’) that the USAF has selected to enter flight testing, which is ongoing now. Under the new deal, General Atomics will use its “expertise in autonomy and uncrewed aircraft systems with a government-provided mission package, using the YFQ-42A platform as a surrogate to evaluate integration with crewed fighters.” This sounds like a significant step for the USMC and the YFQ-42, but what does it actually mean?
We reached out to General Atomics for some answers. YFQ-42 taking to the skies. (General Atomics) Before we get to that, what we know is that the YFQ-42 will have a USMC-provided ‘digital brain’ installed in it, after which it will work as a surrogate for CCAs, in general, to help the Marines explore how they actually integrate with them on a MAGTF (Marine Air Ground Task Force) level alongside crewed fighters.