GA-ASI, 보잉 자회사와 FQ-42 벤전스 CCA 공동생산

[위종민]

GA-ASI가 보잉 자회사인 스피릿 디펜스와 FQ-42 벤전스 CCA 공동생산 계약을 체결했네요. 

# 보잉 자회사, 제너럴 아토믹스의 FQ-42 벤전스 생산에 참여

클레망 샤르팡트로

2026년 10월 27일 오전 1시 36분(GMT+9)

읽는 시간 2분

제너럴 아토믹스 FQ-42A 다크 멀린. (사진: 제너럴 아토믹스)

제너럴 아토믹스 항공시스템(GA-ASI)은 미 공군을 위해 생산 중인 무인전투항공기 FQ-42 벤전스의 제조를 지원하기 위해 보잉의 자회사인 스피릿 디펜스(Spirit Defense)를 참여시켰다.

2026년 10월 23일 발표된 협력관계에 따라 스피릿 디펜스는 동체 설계·제작 협력업체로 참여하며, 설계부터 생산에 이르기까지 엔지니어링 및 제조 역량을 제공하게 된다. 양사는 계약금액과 관련된 동체 수량, 인도 개시 시점을 공개하지 않았다.

이번 협력은 MQ-9 리퍼와 MQ-9B 스카이가디언을 포함해 자사의 항공기를 오랫동안 자체 생산해온 GA-ASI의 관행에서 벗어난 것이다. 외부 공급업체를 참여시킴으로써 회사는 미 공군이 협동전투항공기(CCA) 사업의 규모를 확대하는 상황에서 생산능력을 확충하고 단일 제조시설에 대한 의존도를 낮추려 하고 있다.

GA-ASI의 데이비드 R. 알렉산더 사장은 추가 생산능력이 미 공군이 추구하는 “바로 그러한 종류의 생산 회복탄력성”이라고 설명했다. 스피릿 디펜스의 사장 겸 최고경영자 키스 슈레이더는 회사가 해당 사업을 지원할 준비가 돼 있다고 밝혔다.

## FQ-42 벤전스 생산은 이미 진행 중

제너럴 아토믹스 FQ-42A 벤전스 협동전투항공기. (사진: 제너럴 아토믹스 항공시스템)

GA-ASI는 2026년 6월 17일 FQ-42A의 초도 생산계약을 체결했다. 경쟁업체인 안두릴 역시 FQ-44 퓨리가 생산 대상으로 선정되면서 같은 시기에 계약을 체결했다. 계약금액과 두 제조업체에 배정된 항공기 수량은 공개되지 않았다.

미 공군은 2026년 9월 첫 번째 생산분에 두 기종을 합쳐 총 150대가 포함된다고 확인했다. 미 공군은 2032년까지 전투준비태세를 갖춘 CCA 500대를 배치하고, 궁극적으로 약 1,000대의 무인전투항공기 전력을 확보할 계획이다.

2026년 9월 GA-ASI는 월 6대의 FQ-42를 인도할 수 있는 준비를 갖췄으며, 더 큰 규모의 주문에 대응할 수 있는 추가 제조공간도 확보하고 있다고 밝혔다. 또한 정부의 자금지원 계획이 계속 구체화되는 동안 자체 투자를 통해 생산을 진행하고 있다고 확인했다. 스피릿 디펜스의 참여가 이러한 생산속도를 높일지는 불분명하다.

스피릿 디펜스는 2025년 12월 8일 보잉이 스피릿 에어로시스템스를 인수한 이후 설립됐다. 캔자스주 위치토에 본사를 둔 이 회사는 보잉 방산·우주·안보 부문의 비통합 자회사로 운영되며, 독립적인 지배구조와 운영체계를 유지하면서 더 넓은 방위산업계에 제품을 공급하고 있다.

보잉은 당초 CCA 개념 개발업체로 선정된 5개 회사 가운데 하나였다. 그러나 2024년 4월 미 공군은 실제 생산형을 대표하는 시험용 항공기의 개발을 계속 진행할 업체로 GA-ASI와 안두릴을 선정했으며, 보잉과 록히드마틴, 노스럽그러먼은 해당 경쟁 단계에서 제외됐다.

Boeing subsidiary to help build FQ-42 Vengeance drones

Boeing subsidiary joins production of General Atomics FQ-42 Vengeance

ByClement Charpentreau

2026년 10월 27일 01:36 GMT+9

2 minute read

fxin

General Atomics FQ-42A Dark Merlin. (Credit: General Atomics)

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has enlisted Boeing subsidiary Spirit Defense to help manufacture the FQ-42 Vengeance, the uncrewed combat aircraft it is producing for the US Air Force. 

Under the partnership, announced on October 23, 2026, Spirit Defense will serve as a fuselage design-build partner, contributing engineering and manufacturing capabilities from design through production. Neither company disclosed the value of the agreement, the number of fuselages involved, or when deliveries will begin. 

The arrangement marks a departure from GA-ASI’s longstanding practice of manufacturing its aircraft in-house, including the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-9B SkyGuardian. By bringing in an outside supplier, the company aims to expand production capacity and reduce its dependence on a single manufacturing operation as the US Air Force scales up its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. 

GA-ASI President David R. Alexander described the additional capacity as “exactly the kind of production resilience” the Air Force is seeking. Spirit Defense President and CEO Keith Schrader said the company was ready to support the program. 

FQ-42 Vengeance production already underway 

General Atomics FQ-42A Vengeance collaborative combat aircraft. (Credit: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems)

GA-ASI received its initial FQ-42A production contract on June 17, 2026, alongside rival manufacturer Anduril, whose FQ-44 Fury was also selected for production. Contract values and the allocation of aircraft between the two manufacturers have not been disclosed. 

The US Air Force confirmed in September 2026 that the first production increment covers 150 aircraft across both types. The service plans to field 500 combat-ready CCAs by 2032, with an eventual fleet of approximately 1,000 uncrewed combat aircraft. 

In September 2026, GA-ASI said it was positioned to deliver six FQ-42s per month, with additional manufacturing space available to accommodate larger orders. The company also confirmed that production was proceeding on its own investment while government funding plans continued to develop. It is unclear whether Spirit Defense’s involvement would increase that production rate.

Spirit Defense was established following Boeing’s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems on December 8, 2025. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, the company operates as a non-integrated subsidiary of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, retaining independent governance and operations while supplying the wider defense industry.

Boeing was among five companies initially selected to develop CCA concepts. However, in April 2024, the US Air Force chose GA-ASI and Anduril to proceed with production-representative test aircraft, leaving Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman outside that phase of the competition.

[백선호]

오 여기도 생산 capa 확 키운 다음 나중에 어떤 이유로든 일감 없어서 놀게 될 때의 리스크 줄이려고 위탁 생산을 하는군요.

[위종민]

오 그런 경영적인 판단이 ㅋㅋㅋ CCA면 적어도 수 백기 이상 발주는 확정일 것 같은데도 리스크를 꽤 높게 보나 봅니다.