General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. is in talks with international partners about potential sales and co-production of its YFQ-42 autonomous combat drone. GA-ASI President Dave Alexander told Breaking Defense that discussions have been underway before the aircraft’s first flight.
According to Alexander, GA-ASI is exploring a European lead industrial partner and a pooled production line that could serve multiple customers. He noted some nations are interested in versions identical to the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft model. Others want customized variants with modified sensors or weapons tailored for air-to-ground operations.
What makes this development unprecedented, the chief executive said, is the USAF’s decision to allow early foreign engagement, a departure from the typical multiyear delay before export approval. “Forty-five years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he told Breaking Defense.
General Atomics spokesman C. Mark Brinkley confirmed multiple meetings with foreign buyers during the Paris Air Show’s opening days. The company is following a path similar to competitor Anduril, which announced a partnership with Germany’s Rheinmetall for the European production of its own CCA candidate, the YFQ-44.
In addition to its international CCA efforts, GA-ASI has secured an $8.2 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to arm Spain’s MQ-9A drone fleet, covering hardware and support through mid-2027. The firm is also preparing to deliver up to 200 MQ-9 unmanned systems to Saudi Arabia, a deal that may include MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian variants.
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