{"id":"7b6aa27c-529f-4bc8-b866-6b801f590e92","slug":"malfunction-2026-04-07-general-atomics","kind":"malfunction","headline":"General Atomics CCA drone prototype crashes during test flight","summary":"A General Atomics drone prototype for the US Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program crashed during a test flight. 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Best known for the [MQ-9 Reaper](/models/mq-9-reaper) and MQ-1 Predator drone families, the company is San Diego County's largest defense contractor with approximately 15,000 employees and .2 billion in annual revenue.","status":"private","founded":1993,"hq":"Poway, California, USA","fundingTotal":null,"type":"both","reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-9_Reaper","title":"General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper (575 built; remotely-piloted MALE; in service 2007)","sourceName":"Wikipedia"},{"url":"https://www.airandspaceforces.com/abrupt-end-to-mq-9-production-surprises-general-atomics/","title":"Abrupt end to MQ-9A production surprises General Atomics (line closed 2025)","sourceName":"Air & Space Forces Magazine"},{"url":"https://www.ga-asi.com/remotely-piloted-aircraft/mq-9b-skyguardian","title":"GA-ASI MQ-9B SkyGuardian (40+ hr; UK Protector RG Mk1)","sourceName":"GA-ASI (official)"},{"url":"https://www.defenseadvancement.com/feature/quadratix-unified-software-ecosystem-from-general-atomics/","title":"GA-ASI Quadratix software (AI/ML/autonomy for MQ-9B ISR; still operator-controlled)","sourceName":"Defense Advancement"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"Product","value":"MQ-9 Reaper (remotely-piloted MALE; 575 built) + MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian."},{"label":"Autonomy","value":"REMOTELY-PILOTED, not autonomous; Quadratix adds AI-assisted ISR. Legacy-prime contrast."},{"label":"wikipedia","value":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_Aeronautical_Systems"},{"label":"wikidata","value":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4549939"},{"label":"CEO","value":"Linden P. Blue"},{"label":"President","value":"Dave R. 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