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Australia announced a $930 million contract with Boeing Defense Australia to acquire six production-standard MQ-28 Ghost Bat aircraft and begin development of a next-generation Block 3 variant.

The acquisition plan was announced after Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) conducted a landmark autonomous air-to-air missile engagement using the Ghost Bat, marking a major advancement in crewed-uncrewed teaming and autonomous air combat.

The mission took place at the Woomera Range Complex on December 8, 2025, during Trial Kareela 25-4 and demonstrated, for the first time, an autonomous aircraft destroying an airborne target with an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.

The operation involved the MQ-28 collaborating with an E-7A Wedgetail and an F/A-18F Super Hornet. The three aircraft launched from separate locations before linking up in the battlespace.

The E-7A took custodianship of the MQ-28 to ensure safety and engagement oversight, while the F/A-18F identified and tracked a Phoenix jet-powered drone that served as a fighter-class target.

Once targeting information was shared across the formation, the MQ-28 repositioned and fired an AIM-120 AMRAAM from an underbody hardpoint, successfully destroying the target.

Officials from Boeing and the Australian Defense Force said the test validated key elements of autonomous mission execution, data sharing, and coordinated combat behavior between crewed and uncrewed systems.

Managing director of Boeing Defense Australia, Amy List said, “This is the first time an autonomous aircraft has completed an air-to-air weapon engagement with an AIM-120 missile, establishing the MQ-28 as a mature combat capable CCA.”

List added that the demonstration “proves the advantage specialized CCA platforms bring to defense forces’ mission effectiveness, delivering increased operational mass and data exchange for informed decision-making while reducing cost and crewed pilot risk.”

Integration with Crewed Aircraft

The Australian Department of Defense said the demonstration showed that the MQ-28 can collaborate seamlessly with frontline platforms and serve as a loyal wingman in complex combat scenarios. The E-7A Wedgetail acted as the in-flight controller of the MQ-28, authorizing its movements and ultimately its missile launch. The F/A-18F provided sensor coverage and coordinated with the MQ-28 as the system tracked the target drone.

Australian officials highlighted that the exercise replicated a realistic mission, with data shared between the aircraft to coordinate the final engagement. “This scenario was representative of a real-world mission,” said an Army spokesperson.

Air Marshal Stephen Gareth Chappell said the demonstration was “a full combat replication test very successfully achieved and a world-leading demonstration of our MQ-28 and its combat capabilities in a repeat environment.”

Rapid Development and Growing Capability

Colin Miller, vice president and general manager of Boeing Phantom Works, said the achievement reflects the rapid development pace of the MQ-28 program. “It is a true example of speed-to-capability,” he said.

“The team implemented open architectures and an advanced digital ecosystem to develop the necessary hardware, software, and mission systems required to successfully integrate, test, and employ the weapon in a live, operationally relevant scenario in under eight months,” Miller added.

Boeing said the MQ-28 has completed more than 150 flight hours and over 20,000 hours of digital testing, enabling fast upgrades to autonomy and mission systems. The aircraft’s modular architecture allows software improvements and payload changes without redesigns.

The test followed a series of demonstrations under the Capability Demonstration 2025 campaign, which included autonomous mission execution, multi-ship teaming, integration with F-35A Lightning II and MQ-4C Triton systems, and deployment exercises at RAAF Tindal.

Australian Contract for Ghost Bat Production

Defense Minister Richard Marles said the missile test showed the MQ-28’s “growing potential to deliver an operational capability for the Royal Australian Air Force.”

The funding also supports sensors, ground systems, and command-and-control enhancements. The aircraft is the first Australian-designed combat aircraft to enter production in more than 50 years and is intended to operate alongside crewed fighters at ranges of more than 3,700 km.

Pat Conroy, Minister for Defense Industry, said “The Ghost Bat turns a single fighter into a combat team,” adding that the government’s long-term vision is for a ratio of at least three uncrewed aerial platforms for every crewed aircraft. He added that the capability “increases the lethality of the Australian Defense Force while reducing the risk to our brave aviators.”

The program involves more than 200 Australian companies and is expected to support at least 440 local jobs.

US-Australia Security Cooperation

The announcement coincided with high-level AUSMIN talks in Washington, where U.S. and Australian officials agreed to deepen cooperation on hypersonic cruise missiles, sustainment of AIM-9X and AMRAAM missiles, and expanded rotations of U.S. aircraft in northern Australia.

Marles said both sides agreed to build more infrastructure in northern Australia to support expanded U.S. bomber, fighter, and intelligence aircraft rotations. “That includes fighter planes, bombers, and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft,” he said. The two countries also agreed to pre-position significant U.S. assets in Australia, including Osprey aircraft used by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Australia has previously announced A$10 billion in drone investments over the next decade and A$1.7 billion for Ghost Shark undersea drones developed with U.S. company Anduril.

Global Interest and Future Prospects

The MQ-28 is also being evaluated by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy, which have expressed interest in potential integration with American strike and surveillance platforms. The Ghost Bat is considered a leading contender in the emerging category of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, which the U.S. sees as critical for future operations in contested environments.

The manufacturing line is being transitioned from Melbourne to a new facility in Wellcamp, outside Brisbane, designed to produce aircraft at scale for domestic and export customers. Boeing said the program is positioned as a future export priority for Australia.

As Boeing’s Amy List stated, “This milestone firmly demonstrates the MQ-28 Collaborative Combat Aircraft as the most mature capability of its kind in the world.”