General Atomics suspends CCA flights after YFQ-42A crash
General Atomics has suspended flight tests of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) after one of its YFQ-42A aircraft crashed.
By Sam Cranny-Evans, editor of Calibre Defence, published on April 11, 2026.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has suspended flights of its YFQ-42A CCA following a crash. According to a statement released on April 6, the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from the company’s airport in California.
As is to be expected with an uncrewed aircraft, nobody was injured. GA-ASI also said that the safety procedures worked as planned, indicating there may have been some form of failsafe built into the YFQ-42A.
The aircraft are currently undergoing the technical maturation and risk reduction phase of the US CCA programme. A production decision is expected to be awarded later this year, with both Anduril and GA-ASI up for potential awards.
The US wants to field at least 1,000 CCAs in a short space of time. This means that building thrust in the YFQ-44A and YFQ-42A is critical to both companies.
The YFQ-42A took off for its first flight tests in August 2025, followed by the YFQ-44A in October. They have both been flying various missions that test their ability to integrate with crewed platforms or operate as part of a formation.
Calibre comment: Crashes during test flights are par for the course
It is common for aircraft to crash during the test and maturation phase. This is especially true when the aircraft is trying to do something new. The F-16 with its fly by wire system, for instance had at least two crashes during its development phase. The F-15 similarly experienced crashes and faults during its development, as has the F-35.
One element that is different with a CCA, however, is that a pilot may be able to recover a crewed platform. In an uncrewed platform, any faults need to be rectified by the software that the aircraft carries. If it is unable to do so, then a loss becomes more likely. This can be seen with other drones like the MQ-9 or Watchkeeper, both of which have experienced multiple crashes during their service lives.
In a nutshell, this crash does not necessarily mean that Anduril is now in pole position for the CCA programme. There is a lot of testing ahead before a contract is awarded, and the GA-ASI team may now know of at least one fault that could cause a YFQ-42A to crash.
The lead image shows three YFQ-42As on a runway. Credit: GA-ASI.
