US EditionGeneral Atomics pauses drone wingman flight tests after crash
No one was injured, and General Atomics said the cause remains unclear as it gathers data before resuming tests.
- On Tuesday, a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems YFQ-42A prototype crashed in the California desert following takeoff from Gray Butte Airport near Palmdale, though company spokesman C. Mark Brinkley confirmed no injuries occurred at approximately 1 pm Pacific Time.
- The YFQ-42A is part of a 'family' of unmanned wingman designs General Atomics calls Gambit, which the firm is pitching as a centerpiece of its drone wingman strategy for foreign competitions including Europe.
- Flight tests for the YFQ-42A have been halted 'temporarily in an abundance of caution' while GA-ASI investigates; the crashed unit was 'one of several production-representative' drones used for regular testing.
- Air Force Secretary Troy Meink stated the incident is 'exactly why we test,' adding that disciplined developmental testing allows the Air Force to 'push systems to their limits' and refine capabilities before operational use.
- The Air Force plans to award a production deal this summer, with the YFQ-42A competing against Anduril Industries YFQ-44A, as the service requested about $1 billion in fiscal year 2027 budget for drone wingmen purchases.
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16 Articles
GA-ASI CCA prototype crashes in California
A YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft prototype crashed in the California desert yesterday following takeoff, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems said in a news release. The mishap -- which occurred at around 1:00 p.m. local time -- didn't cause any injuries, but the company has temporarily halted all flight test activities while an investigation into the incident is ongoing. The cause of the crash remains unclear. GA-ASI is “assessing the co…
In the course of Monday, April 6, the U.S. company General Atomics announced that it had recorded an incident with one of its YFQ-42A collaborative combat drones, this while taking off from the airport with which the company in the state of California counts at 1 pm (Pacific time). [...] General Atomics entry recorded an incident with one of its YFQ-42A collaborative combat drones appears first in Military Zone.
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