General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has enlisted Spirit Defense, a subsidiary of Boeing, to support the manufacturing of the FQ-42 Vengeance. This collaboration marks a shift for General Atomics, which has traditionally handled its aircraft production in-house. By integrating Spirit Defense as a design-build partner for the fuselage, the manufacturer aims to bolster production capacity for the U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.
Expanding Manufacturing Resilience
The decision to bring in an external partner reflects a broader industry push for supply chain resilience as the Air Force scales its uncrewed combat aircraft fleet. The service currently plans to field 500 units by 2032, with an eventual goal of 1,000 aircraft. While the financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, the move suggests a strategic pivot to diversify manufacturing operations beyond single-site reliance.
Spirit Defense, which operates under Boeing, brings specific engineering and production capabilities to the project. This partnership arrives as the Air Force moves forward with production-representative aircraft from both General Atomics and Anduril. The involvement of Spirit Defense may prove significant as the industry works to meet the projected high-volume delivery requirements for the FQ-42 platform.