WASHINGTON — General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) is developing a large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called NextGen, designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and strike missions.
The aircraft features a tailless flying-wing design and a hybrid-electric propulsion system. GA-ASI says its engine team is targeting more than 60 hours of flight without refueling.
The details were shared by company spokesperson C. Mark Brinkley with The War Zone on October 30, 2026. The aircraft is fully armed and equipped for ISR and strike missions.
Hybrid-Electric Propulsion and Long Endurance
NextGen uses a conventional fuel-burning engine to generate electricity. Electric motors then use that power to move the aircraft.
The approach allows the engine to operate at an efficient setting. It is also intended to reduce fuel consumption, heat, and noise signatures.
GA-ASI is targeting more than 60 hours of unrefueled flight. This would be more than twice the approximately 27-hour endurance of the company’s MQ-9 Reaper.
A flight duration of this length could support persistent surveillance over large areas, including the South China Sea, without requiring aerial refueling. However, the 60-hour figure remains a development target, not a demonstrated flight result.
NextGen to Support Gambit 4 Development
GA-ASI has clarified that NextGen is not a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Unlike CCAs designed to operate alongside crewed fighter jets, NextGen is being developed as an independent ISR and strike platform.
The technology and flight data gathered during its development will support the company’s Gambit 4 concept. Gambit 4 is a stealth-optimized flying-wing drone designed for intelligence gathering in heavily contested environments.
The Gambit family, introduced in 2022, uses a modular design. Common components, including landing gear and basic avionics, can be reused across different aircraft variants.
GA-ASI has also worked on hybrid-electric propulsion through the GHOST program. In May 2025, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded the company a contract worth approximately $99.3 million for a hybrid-electric, ducted-fan ISR and strike unmanned system. The work is expected to continue through August 2028. The exact relationship between GHOST and NextGen has not been publicly disclosed.
Development Status
GA-ASI has developed and delivered more than 1,600 aircraft over 34 years. The company is also working on other Gambit variants, including the FQ-42A Vengeance collaborative combat aircraft.
NextGen remains under development. GA-ASI has not announced its first-flight timeline or released details about its dimensions, payload capacity, or sensor suite.
The company has also not demonstrated the targeted 60-hour endurance. Its hybrid-electric propulsion system and flying-wing design remain central features of the ongoing development program.
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