U.S. Marine Corps Selects GA-ASI for MUX TACAIR Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program

GA-ASI's expertise in autonomy and uncrewed aircraft systems to be integrated with government-provided mission package for evaluation.

Feb. 11, 2026 at 2:15am

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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has been competitively selected by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to participate in the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The agreement will integrate GA-ASI's expertise in autonomy and uncrewed aircraft systems with a government-provided mission package, using the YFQ-42A platform as a surrogate to evaluate integration with crewed fighters.

Why it matters

This selection builds on GA-ASI's existing autonomous systems and demonstrates the company's commitment to delivering next-generation capabilities for critical USMC missions. The integration of GA-ASI's expertise with a government-provided mission package aims to enhance the Marine Air-Ground Task Force's operational effectiveness in contested environments.

The details

The contract initiates the integration of a Marine Corps mission kit into the YFQ-42A surrogate platform for assessment within the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). The USMC contract includes the rapid development of autonomy for the government-supplied mission kit, a cost-effective, sensor-rich, software-defined suite capable of delivering kinetic and non-kinetic effects, positioning the solution for use in expeditionary operations.

  • The agreement was announced on February 11, 2026.
  • The YFQ-42A successfully conducted its maiden flight in August 2025.

The players

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI)

An American company that is the world's foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), with over 9 million flight hours logged by its Predator® line of UAS.

U.S. Marine Corps (USMC)

The maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces, responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations.

YFQ-42A

A purpose-built Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) platform developed by GA-ASI as part of its ongoing investment in next-generation autonomous combat aircraft.

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What they’re saying

“This selection builds upon the GA-ASI autonomous systems in use today and demonstrates our commitment to delivering next generation capabilities for critical USMC missions.”

— Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs for GA-ASI

What’s next

The YFQ-42A surrogate platform will be used to evaluate the integration of the government-provided mission package and assess future MUX TACAIR capabilities.

The takeaway

This partnership between GA-ASI and the U.S. Marine Corps represents a significant step forward in the development of autonomous and collaborative combat aircraft technologies, which are expected to play a crucial role in enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force in contested environments.