Australia’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Loyal Wingman Drone to Enter Combat Service by 2028.

Boeing Australia is accelerating development of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat to achieve operational service with the Royal Australian Air Force by 2028, while advancing a more export-focused Block 3 variant. The effort reflects growing demand among allied air forces for affordable, survivable uncrewed systems that can extend the reach and resilience of crewed fighters.

Speaking in Singapore, Boeing executives confirmed that the MQ-28 Ghost Bat program is shifting from its origins as a technology demonstrator toward an operational combat aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force, with initial service targeted before the end of the decade. According to Aviation Week reporting on February 2, 2026, the company is also shaping a Block 3 configuration designed specifically for international customers, as global air forces seek lower-cost, attritable platforms capable of operating alongside fighters such as the F-35 and future sixth-generation aircraft.
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Boeing is accelerating MQ-28 Ghost Bat service with the RAAF by 2028 while developing an export-ready Block 3 variant for allied air forces. (Picture source: Australian MoD)

The program closed 2025 with a live AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) launch from a Ghost Bat during a mission that also involved Boeing F/A-18 aircraft and the E-7 airborne early warning and control platform. Boeing did not disclose the engagement geometry or range conditions, yet the event matters because it demonstrates more than weapons release. It implies that an uncrewed platform can operate within a mixed formation comprising crewed fighters, an airborne battle manager, and a collaborative aircraft, exchanging targeting cues and mission data without breaking tempo.

The RAAF’s December award of a contract valued at about $500 million to Boeing Defence Australia provides the industrial backbone for the next stage. Under this third tranche, Australia is set to receive seven aircraft spanning Block 2 and Block 3 standards, in addition to eight Block 1 aircraft and three Block 2 already in production and test. In parallel, Boeing and the RAAF plan to open discussions on follow-on production, signalling that Australia is positioning MQ-28 as a sustained capability line rather than a limited-run prototype effort. Total Australian investment is described at roughly $1.4 billion, underscoring that Canberra is buying down risk early to secure sovereign leverage later.

MQ-28 sits in a size class that deliberately mirrors fighter-adjacent performance without fighter-level procurement cost. Boeing describes the aircraft as 38 ft (11.7 m) long with a 24 ft (7.3 m) wingspan, and an approximate weight of 7,000 lb (3,175 kg). In performance terms, it is presented as capable of flying more than 2,000 nautical miles, reaching fighter-compatible speeds up to Mach 0.9, and operating above 40,000 ft (12,192 m). Those figures help explain why the platform is marketed less as a disposable drone and more as a reusable combat system that can keep pace with fast jets, remain on station, and operate at altitudes that support wide-area sensing and long-range networking.

Boeing positions MQ-28 as an autonomous collaborative combat aircraft designed to team with existing military aircraft to extend intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as tactical early-warning tasks. The concept is that the aircraft can fuse sensor and payload information from multiple platforms, effectively acting as a mission extender rather than a single-purpose shooter. This is where “trusted autonomy” becomes central: the goal is to execute mission elements with minimal increase in workload for crewed platforms, preserving pilot attention for the parts of the fight where human judgment remains decisive.

Block 2 is presented as the “operational version” derived from Block 1 testing, with 2026 focused on operationalisation to meet the 2028 target. Block 3 then becomes the export baseline and the configuration intended for higher-rate manufacture starting in 2028. Boeing plans to extend the wings by 3 m on each side, enabling a stated 30% increase in fuel. The operational effect is straightforward: longer on-station time, deeper combat radius, and more flexibility to position the platform as a forward sensor or weapons carrier without demanding tanker support at every turn.

Block 3 is also set to incorporate an internal weapons bay sized for AIM-120 AMRAAM or small-diameter bombs. Boeing indicates that Block 1 and Block 2 have the space and that Block 2 could be retrofitted if the RAAF chooses. This matters because internal carriage reduces drag and helps manage signatures, and it also allows the aircraft to remain relevant across mission sets ranging from counter-air support to precision strike. Across all blocks, MQ-28 uses the Williams International FJ44-A engine, a proven small turbofan widely used in business aviation, increasingly attractive for collaborative combat aircraft because it supports cost control and supply chain resilience.

The MQ-28 was originally designed in Australia without U.S. input, which initially left it outside International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) constraints. That changed after a 2023 collaboration agreement with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, which introduced ITAR-controlled technology, mainly in communications and weapons-related subsystems. Boeing argues that this equipment has been compartmentalized and could be removed to support ITAR-free international sales. In practice, this modular approach may be workable, but it places a premium on clean architecture boundaries, software separation, and careful configuration management, especially if different customers demand different datalinks, crypto suites, or weapons interfaces.

MQ-28’s evolution reflects a wider shift in Indo-Pacific defense planning: states are looking for scalable combat mass without matching the cost curve of fifth-generation fighters. Australia’s program signals intent to field a domestically anchored uncrewed combat ecosystem while tightening interoperability with the United States. If Boeing succeeds in offering an exportable Block 3 variant with manageable regulatory friction, MQ-28 could influence procurement decisions well beyond Australia, shaping coalition force design and deterrence posture. In a region where airpower is increasingly central to crisis stability, a mature collaborative combat aircraft ecosystem adds capability and ambiguity simultaneously, raising the threshold for aggression while accelerating the pace of military competition among peer and near-peer actors.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.