Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat is Officially Battle-Ready

The future of air combat is not just about better fighter jets; it’s about smarter teams. Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) just proved that future is arriving ahead of schedule as Aviation Today reported, announcing the successful completion of a major series of demonstrations for the MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone.

These crucial tests, wrapped up four months early, showcased the “loyal wingman” drone’s ability to operate autonomously and team up with manned aircraft. It’s a massive milestone that validates the maturity of the program and moves this groundbreaking aircraft one step closer to active service.

A True “Loyal Wingman”

The recent demonstrations, which took place in June, were all about proving that the Ghost Bat can be a true team player. The drone performed a series of complex missions, showcasing its advanced AI and autonomous capabilities.

In one of the most critical tests, the MQ-28 teamed up with an E-7A Wedgetail early warning and control aircraft. The Ghost Bat flew as a remote sensor, fusing its own data with the Wedgetail’s powerful radar and sharing a combined intelligence picture with other assets. This is the heart of the “loyal wingman” concept: using the drone as a forward scout to detect threats, allowing the more valuable manned aircraft to stay further back from the danger zone.

The tests also included multi-ship operations and a deployment to the remote RAAF Base Tindal, proving the drone is ready for real-world basing and not just a delicate prototype. With over 150 hours of flight testing under its belt, the Ghost Bat is a proven and mature platform.

The Tech That Makes it a Game-Changer

The MQ-28 is a stealthy, high-performance drone designed to fly alongside and in support of manned fighter jets like the F-35. Developed by Boeing’s legendary Phantom Works division, it’s a modular and flexible aircraft that can be configured for a variety of missions, from surveillance and reconnaissance to electronic warfare and even kinetic strikes.

Its AI-driven autonomy is its greatest asset. The Ghost Bat can perform complex maneuvers, react to threats, and complete its mission with minimal input from a human operator. This allows a single pilot in a manned jet to act as a “quarterback,” commanding a team of these unmanned wingmen and multiplying their effectiveness on the battlefield.

The success of these demonstrations now paves the way for the next phase of the program: the production of the Block 2 version of the aircraft, which will form the RAAF’s first operational squadron.

The Global Race for a Robotic Wingman

The Ghost Bat program is a world leader in the global race to develop Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs). The US Air Force is running its own massive competition, with companies like Anduril and General Atomics all vying to build its future robotic wingman.

The early and very public success of the Australian-led Ghost Bat program gives it a significant advantage. It has provided a wealth of real-world data and proven that the concept of manned-unmanned teaming is not just a theory; it’s a practical and effective new way of conducting air warfare.

DroneXL’s Take

For years, we’ve been hearing the term “loyal wingman,” and it has often felt like a futuristic buzzword. This news from Boeing and the RAAF proves that the future has arrived. The successful teaming of the MQ-28 with an E-7A is a genuinely revolutionary moment. It’s the birth of a new kind of air power.

“Real talk,” the software and data-link challenges to make this kind of human-machine teaming work flawlessly are immense. I’ve had my own drone’s video feed glitch out in much simpler scenarios. The fact that they have created a system where a manned aircraft and an autonomous drone can seamlessly share data in real-time is a monumental engineering feat.

What’s so impressive about the Ghost Bat program is the smart, methodical way it has been developed. The close partnership between Boeing and the RAAF has allowed for rapid, iterative progress, and the results speak for themselves. They are not just building a drone; they are building a new way of fighting.

This is the story that gets me incredibly excited. It’s the perfect fusion of human skill and artificial intelligence, a partnership that makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a glimpse into a future where the sky is filled with intelligent, collaborative teams of aircraft, and it is absolutely fascinating to watch. Did I mention that the drone is absolutely gorgeous?

Photo credit: Boeing website