Boeing and RAAF Showcase MQ-28’s Mission-Ready Power
Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have effectively showcased the operational potential of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).
The RAAF-defined demonstrations showcased the MQ-28’s ability to carry out a range of operational missions, enhancing the capabilities of existing crewed platforms.
These uncrewed MQ-28 platforms and their digital counterparts have achieved a remarkable 150 hours of flight time and over 20,000 hours of virtual testing. The Capability Demonstration 2025 missions were completed four months ahead of schedule in early June, validating the following:
- Autonomous behaviors and mission execution
- Multi-ship operations to bolster combat power
- Deployment operations to RAAF Base Tindal
- Teaming with the E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft
- Data fusion and communication between multiple MQ-28 units, allowing transmission of vital information to crewed platforms
The MQ-28 embodies a unique autonomous capability, designed to enhance the find, fix, track, and target processes in air combat while minimizing risk to crewed platforms.
“The RAAF established objectives for demonstrating the first four steps in the Air Combat chain with the MQ-28, and we have achieved that ahead of schedule,” stated Glen Ferguson, MQ-28 Global Program Director.
“Finishing this phase earlier enables us to expedite the subsequent stages of development – engage and assess – with plans for an air-to-air weapon demonstration later this year or early 2026. These demonstrations have confirmed the maturity and utility of the MQ-28’s capabilities, illustrating the significance of CCA in the future force structure,” Ferguson added.
The validated capabilities for 2025 will be integrated into the Block 2 aircraft currently in production, laying the groundwork for initial operational capability for the RAAF and its allied partners.
