Australia Validates Combat Drone " MQ-28A Ghost Bat " Capabilities Four Months Early

Australia : The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), in partnership with Boeing Defence Australia, has reached a landmark achievement with the successful development and operational validation of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, the nation’s first indigenously designed and built combat aircraft in more than fifty years. The milestone was confirmed during the Capability Demonstration 2025, which wrapped up four months ahead of schedule, underscoring the program’s momentum.

A New Class of Combat Aircraft

The Ghost Bat is a collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) designed as an uncrewed combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) to operate alongside manned aircraft. It enhances missions in reconnaissance, electronic warfare, strike, and force protection, extending the RAAF’s reach and survivability. Powered by a single turbofan engine, the aircraft boasts a range exceeding 3,700 kilometers, enabling long-duration missions deep into contested environments.

A standout feature of the drone is its modular nose design, which allows payload swaps between sensors, radars, or electronic warfare suites. Built with open-architecture avionics and advanced autonomy software, it can share and fuse data with other Ghost Bats and crewed platforms, creating a force-multiplying effect in modern air combat.

Demonstrated Capabilities

The 2025 demonstrations validated several critical combat roles:

• Autonomous mission execution, proving the aircraft can operate with minimal human intervention.

• Multi-ship operations, where several Ghost Bats coordinated as a combat mass, expanding operational presence without risking pilots.

• Deployment from operational bases, as shown at RAAF Base Tindal, marking its first flights outside the Woomera Test Range.

• Integration with E-7A Wedgetail, confirming seamless command and control from airborne early warning platforms.

• Real-time data fusion, where multiple Ghost Bats shared intelligence and relayed it to manned aircraft such as the F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35A Lightning II.

Industrial and Strategic Impact

Production is advancing at a high-tech facility in Toowoomba, Queensland, where carbon-fiber composites, robotic assembly, and final testing are conducted. The Block I aircraft served as test units, while Block II versions—improved with lessons from recent trials—are already in production under a $400 million contract for 13 aircraft.

The program not only strengthens Australia’s sovereign defence manufacturing base but also positions the Ghost Bat as an export-ready platform for Indo-Pacific allies.

The Road Ahead

The next phase of the program will focus on combat evaluation and weapons integration, with an air-to-air missile release planned for late 2025 or early 2026. This step will move the Ghost Bat closer to becoming a fully weaponized, deployable asset.

As part of broader regional cooperation, the aircraft also featured in Exercise Carlsbad 2025, where it was rapidly deployed via a C-17A Globemaster III and assembled, tested, and flown within just seven days—a demonstration of its logistical agility.

A Strategic Leap

The success of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat represents a generational leap in Australia’s defence capability. By combining autonomy, long range, rapid deployment, and integration with existing fleets, the Ghost Bat strengthens the RAAF’s ability to project power, deter threats, and operate with allies in the increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region.