U.S. Air Force awards FQ-42A production contract four months ahead of schedule

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems/FQ-42 Vengeance

USAF awarded General Atomics production contract for FQ-42A Vengeance four months ahead of schedule. Also awarded concurrent production contract to Anduril for FQ-44A Fury, giving both designs operational roles. USAF aims to procure over 150 combat-capable CCAs by decade's end.

• GA-ASI and Anduril both awarded production contracts June 17, 2026.
• Goal: over 150 operational CCAs by 2029-2030.
• USAF requested nearly $1B in FY 2027 budget for CCA procurement.
• YFQ-42A flew August 2025; YFQ-44A flew October 2025.