General Atomics XQ-67A

The General Atomics XQ-67A is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) under development, designed as a loyal wingman. Built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), it serves the U.S. Air Force’s Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) program and acts as a prototype for the collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) initiative. In February 2023, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) selected GA-ASI to build and test a UAV for OBSS, which is meant to fly ahead of manned aircraft and relay data back. The prototype was publicly revealed on 8 February 2024.

Whether the XQ-67A can carry weapons is not known. Its first flight occurred on 28 February 2024 from GA-ASI’s Grey Butte Flight Operations Facility near Palmdale, California. According to the AFRL, the XQ-67A is the first of a second generation of autonomous collaborative platforms.

Following the XQ-58A Valkyrie—the first low-cost uncrewed air vehicle aimed at providing affordable mass for warfighters—the XQ-67A demonstrates a common chassis, or “genus,” approach to aircraft design, build, and test. This method allows other aircraft “species” to be rapidly developed on a standard genus chassis, similar to a vehicle frame, with different kits added for roles like an Off-Board Sensing Station or an Off-Board Weapon Station. On 24 April 2024, after being awarded the CCA Increment I contract, GA-ASI stated that the XQ-67A was a prototype for the CCA program and that the official CCA entry, later designated the YFQ-42, would be based on the XQ-67A with a common core system. It is speculated that the XQ-67A represents “Gambit 1,” the first version of the previously revealed General Atomics Gambit family, though GA-ASI has not specifically linked the XQ-67A, the CCA program, and Gambit.