Australia Receives Next Batch of 'Ghost Bat' Drones
Australia is preparing to receive the next batch of its MQ-28 ‘Ghost Bat’ warplane drones. These highly autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) are designed for human-machine teaming and swarm tactics. The delivery marks a key step in the operationalization of collaborative multi-agent autonomous systems among U.S. allies.
- The MQ-28 Ghost Bat, formerly known as the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS), is the first military combat aircraft to be designed, engineered, and manufactured in Australia in over 50 years. The program involves more than 35 Australian companies in its supply chain. - The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has financially committed to a growing fleet, which includes eight Block 1 prototypes, with further investments for more advanced Block 2 and Block 3 models. The Australian government's total investment has exceeded A$1.4 billion, with a recent contract valued at approximately A$754 million for seven additional drones. - The drone is 38 feet (11.7 meters) long and has a range of over 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 kilometers). Its design features a modular nose section that can be swapped out quickly to accommodate different payloads for missions including combat, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare. - Development is progressing through iterative blocks; Block 2 aircraft feature improved wings and autonomous systems, while the planned Block 3 will incorporate an internal weapons bay capable of carrying an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile or two Small Diameter Bombs. - In a significant milestone, a Ghost Bat successfully launched an AIM-120 missile at a target drone, receiving targeting data from a crewed F/A-18F Super Hornet and an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft. - The Ghost Bat program is considered a pathfinder for the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative, which aims to pair at least 1,000 uncrewed aircraft with crewed fighters. Both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy have expressed strong interest in leveraging the MQ-28's technology for their own programs. - To support production, a new manufacturing facility for the Ghost Bat is planned to be operational in Toowoomba, Queensland, by 2027. Australia's strategic vision is to maintain a fleet ratio of at least three uncrewed platforms for every one crewed combat aircraft.
