MQ-28 Ghost Bat

MQ-28 Ghost Bat from Australia, produced by Boeing

Introduce:

The MQ-28 Ghost Bat (formerly known as the Airpower Teaming System) is an uncrewed teaming aircraft designed to be a force multiplier in support of advanced multi-mission air combat operations.

Boeing Australia, supported by the Royal Australian Air Force and a local industry team, has produced the first military aircraft to be designed, manufactured and flown in Australia in over 50 years.

MQ-28 Ghost Bat development vehicles continue to be manufactured at Boeing’s Fishermans Bend facility in Victoria. Advanced robotics, composite materials and digital engineering have enabled key manufacturing innovations for the MQ-28 in the areas of robotic drill and fill, shimless assembly and full-size determinant assembly to significantly reduce assembly costs, compared with traditional methods.

Mission system and payload development continues, with Boeing’s digital engineering capabilities used to validate air vehicle teaming behaviours and examine the interaction of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat aircraft with other crewed and uncrewed assets.

The first flight of MQ-28 Ghost Bat was achieved in February 2021, with the test program expanding the flight envelope as the program evolves.