Aerospace giant Boeing announced on Friday that its MQ-28 “Ghost Bat” Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) had completed its flight demonstrations with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) four months early—a remarkable accomplishment for the often-troubled aerospace contractor.
The “Ghost Bat” Shined in Australian Tests
The unmanned aerial system (UAS) underwent more than 150 hours of testing at Australia’s Woomera test range, which was supplemented by over 20,000 hours of virtual testing.
These tests validated “autonomous behaviors and mission execution,” “multi-ship operations,” and “data fusion” and data sharing between multiple CCAs. Data from the MQ-28 Ghost Bat was transmitted to a crewed aircraft, while the drone teamed with an RAAF Boeing E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C).
“The RAAF set the task of proving the first four steps in the Air Combat chain for the MQ-28 and we have accomplished that sooner than anticipated,” said Glen Ferguson, MQ-28 Global program director.
“Completing this work early allows us to accelerate the next phases of development – engage and assess – with an air-to-air weapon shot planned for later this year or in early 2026,” Ferguson added. “The demonstrations have proven the maturity of MQ-28’s capabilities and the utility of CCA’s and their application to the future force mix.”
The 38-foot-long MQ-28 has been in development since 2013 as part of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS) program with the RAAF. It was designed to operate autonomously alongside a manned fighter, serving as a “loyal wingman” where it can act as a force multiplier, providing additional capabilities while also reducing risk to the aviators.
“MQ-28 is a unique autonomous capability designed to complement the find, fix, track, and target elements of air combat with autonomous behaviors and reduced risk to crewed platforms,” Boeing explained.
Boeing Is Investing in Australia’s Defense Industry
Last year, Boeing began construction of a facility that will produce its Ghost Bat in the Land Down Under. The state-of-the-art 9,000-square-meter facility, located in Toowoomba, Queensland, will secure hundreds of skilled jobs as part of Australia’s AUD $616 million (USD $400 million) investment in the MQ-28 program. It will be one of the most modern aviation production centers in Australia, offering advanced aerospace manufacturing capabilities, including the manufacture of carbon fiber composites, advanced robotic assembly for major components, and final assembly and testing capabilities.
There had been speculation that the Ghost Bat would also fill a role with the United States Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, but the Pentagon has been running its own CCA initiative. It selected the Anduril “Fury” and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.’s (GA-ASI’s) “Gambit” unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which received the designations YFQ-44A and YFQ-42A, respectively.
Boeing, along with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, had offered competing CCA designs, but all three were eliminated from the Pentagon’s competition in 2024.
Last month, the General Atomics YFQ-42A began flight testing in California, where the prototype has been used to evaluate its airworthiness, flight autonomy, and mission system integration.
The current timeline calls for a production contract to be awarded during fiscal year 2026 (FY26), which begins on October 1, 2025, while the Air Force has called for the CCA to enter service by 2030.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image courtesy of Boeing.
