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Image: GA-ASI
It’s always a big moment for an aircraft development program to get a formal designation. This means the program is progressing through the development and potential acquisition process well; however, there are still more decision points before an unmanned fighter jet takes to the skies alongside its manned counterparts.
This month, the Air Force announced the formal designation for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft development aircraft. Being developed and built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the aircraft will now be referred to as YFQ-42A. Just like all military aircraft before it, the designation allows for a shorthand description of its current status.
While this is a big step forward for General Atomics in its development, a step closer to it hitting the production line, the unmanned fighter is still in its developmental infancy. Just ask Northrop and its YF-23, which lost out to the YF-22 to be produced.
“We’re proud to get a new official aircraft designation,” GA-ASI President David R. Alexander said in a statement. “These aircraft represent an unrivaled history of capable, dependable uncrewed platforms that meet the needs of America’s warfighters and point the way to a significant new era for AirPower.”
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The designation can be easily decoded if you understand the meaning behind the Air Force’s letter code for its aircraft. “Y” means that the aircraft is an initial production or representative aircraft (still in development). “F” means that the aircraft is a fighter. Finally, “Q” means the aircraft is unmanned. The number used is relatively arbitrary, usually not duplicated with another aircraft with the same designation, and then the “A” at the end denotes the block.
If the YFQ-42A makes it to production, the “Y” will be dropped, making it just the FQ-42A. Furthermore, if the Air Force orders block upgrades to the platform, those upgraded aircraft would be denoted as FQ-42B, C, D, and so on.
For example, the B-52H, the Air Force’s longest-serving aircraft still in operation, has “B” to denote it as a bomber and “H” to denote at least eight block upgrades.
The Air Force’s CCA program is designed to play a supportive role to manned fighter jets like the F/A-18, F-22, or F-35. Rather than replacing pilots, it could supplement them as an “unmanned wingman” with additional weapon systems, electronic warfare systems, or reconnaissance payloads.
In some extreme scenarios, it could replace the current squadron setup of multiple manned fighters with just one or two, with the pilots commanding a squadron of unmanned fighters.
The hope is that the YFQ-42A will be much cheaper than a sixth-generation fighter and, if lost, much cheaper than replacing a human pilot.
Not everyone is sold yet on the idea, as the current system of squadrons of manned fighter jets has yet to be proven ineffective in combat.
However, the Air Force continues to test the idea of an unmanned fighter companion with its XQ-67A; “X” stands for experimental. As trials are completed, a better understanding of its usefulness and weaknesses will be realized before deploying the UAS systems to the front lines.
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