The General Atomics YFQ-42, officially named the "Dark Merlin" on February 23, 2026, is an experimental uncrewed combat aircraft (UCAV) developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The aircraft represents a significant shift in military aviation nomenclature; the YFQ-42A and the Anduril YFQ-44A are the first aircraft in USAF history to receive a formal "fighter" designation for an uncrewed system. It is a central component of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program's Increment I, designed to augment crewed fighters—including the F-22, F-35, and the planned Boeing F-47—through manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) in air-to-air missions.
Developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the YFQ-42 is derived from the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) demonstrator and belongs to the "Gambit" family of UCAVs. This lineage reflects a modular "genus/species" design philosophy intended to lower costs and accelerate development cycles. The YFQ-42A successfully conducted its maiden flight on August 27, 2025. While specific engine models and thrust ratings remain undisclosed, the aircraft is confirmed to be jet-powered.
Designed for air-to-air operations, the YFQ-42 has a planned armament of two AIM-120 AMRAAMs. Beyond its USAF role, the United States Marine Corps has selected the YFQ-42 as a surrogate in its Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) CCA program to test a Marine-developed autonomy "brain."
The aircraft is currently in the technical maturation and risk reduction (TMRR) phase. During this period, a production-representative YFQ-42A was lost on April 6, 2026, following a crash shortly after takeoff from a GA-ASI company-owned airport in the California desert. The mishap was attributed to an autopilot miscalculation regarding the aircraft's weight and center of gravity. Following software remediation and safety reviews, GA-ASI announced that the YFQ-42A returned to flight testing on May 21, 2026.