Image source: topwar.ru
General Atomics has moved to the stage of mass production of the FQ-42A Dark Merlin machine developed by it as part of the USAF CCA ("joint Action combat Aircraft") program. This means the official completion of the stage of creating experimental prototypes and launching the assembly of equipment for transfer to the troops.
In the American weapons classification system, this step is accompanied by the removal of the prefix "Y" (previously the device was called YFQ-42A), which indicated the status of an experimental laboratory model. Now the design has been approved by the military as final and suitable for combat operations. This is the first time in the history of the US Air Force that a UAV has received a full-fledged air fighter letter: "FQ" stands for unmanned (Q) fighter (F).
The FQ-42A, created based on the experience of developing the XQ-67A demonstration model, is designed to operate side by side with manned fighters in solving various tasks, from conducting air combat to launching strikes and providing intelligence support.
The Air Force plans to purchase more than 150 CCA units by the end of the decade and eventually intends to commission about 1,000 of these aircraft. The FQ-42A and the smaller FQ-44A Fury from Anduril are designed to become the centerpiece of the air combat order due to their numbers.
Most of the exact performance characteristics of the FQ-42A are classified. However, based on the company's official press releases, the Gambit Core concept, and data from defense analysts, the following key characteristics are available. The dimensions are comparable to a standard light fighter: the airframe is about 4.5 m long and the wingspan is about 8.5 m. This is a single-engine (single-circuit turbofan engine) "stealth" device with a V-shaped tail to reduce radar visibility.
Image source: topwar.ru
The maximum speed is transonic (Max 1). The practical ceiling is over 13.7 thousand m. The range is about 1.5 thousand km. The flight duration in the basic configuration is 6-8 hours (when patrolling with outboard tanks – up to 36 hours). The maximum take-off weight is approximately 1200 kg. The payload capacity is about 1.5 thousand kg. The payload can be placed both in internal compartments and on external suspension points. The main armament is represented by two AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air defense systems in the inner compartment (in the "flying arsenal" configuration).
Instead of missiles, the aircraft can be equipped with electronic warfare modules, optoelectronic reconnaissance containers, or additional 600-liter fuel tanks.
The control is semi-autonomous, in conjunction with a manned aircraft (MUM-T technology). Secure satellite and directional radio communications are used. The aircraft is equipped with an on-board computer with AI elements (Sidekick software from Collins Aerospace was used in the tests), which allows for fully autonomous maneuvering, evading enemy missiles and entering the target without human commands.
