A full-size model of the YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) produced by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for the U.S. Air Force will be on display November 17−21 at the Dubai Airshow in at #1280.
The new unmanned fighter jet has captured the attention of the global military aviation community as it continues through flight testing as part of an accelerated development schedule. The YFQ-42A is focused on air-to-air, semi-autonomous operations, and it’s being designed for rapid production, in large quantities, at an affordable price.
“Global interest in CCA and our YFQ-42A is very high,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “We’re excited to have the aircraft and our overall CCA development effort on display at a major international industry event like the Dubai Airshow.”
The YFQ-42A is a derivative of GA-ASI’s Gambit Series of unmanned combat air vehicles. Gambit is made up of multiple CCA variants that can be rapidly reconfigured from a common core, which enables substantial commonality for rapid and affordable production at scale. Based on the original Gambit 2 concept, the YFQ-42A is designed to complement human-crewed fighters like the F-35 and Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) systems, expanding sensing, weapons capacity, and survivability in contested airspace.
Following the Dubai Airshow, the CCA model will be featured at two other major regional events in early 2026: at DIMDEX January 19−22 in Doha, Qatar; and at The World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 8−12.
