The MQ-28 Ghost Bat is an uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) designed to be a force multiplier in support of advanced multi-mission air combat operations.

Developed by Boeing Australia and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the MQ-28 Ghost Bat seeks to bring a disruptive advantage to allied forces’ crewed and uncrewed missions by delivering affordable mass and rapid capability insertion. 

The first flight of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat was achieved in February 2021. By March 2025, the prototype aircraft had flown more than 100 test flights, underpinned by over 20,000 hours of digital testing.

The flight test program will culminate in a series of demonstrations in 2025 which will include MQ-28 aircraft teaming with crewed assets, such as E-7 and F-35, to complete operationally relevant missions.

As a first-of-its-kind, the MQ-28 is a pathfinder for CCAs in Australia. Boeing is partnering with the RAAF to establish the ecosystem required to enable CCAs to operate as a supplementary capability to crewed aircraft and deliver interoperable and interchangeable capabilities.

The MQ-28 is the first military aircraft to be designed, manufactured and flown in Australia in over 50 years.

The aircraft are manufactured by Boeing using advanced robotics, composite materials and digital engineering. Key manufacturing innovations in the areas of robotic drill and fill, shimless assembly and full-size determinant assembly have significantly reduced assembly costs, compared with traditional methods.

The program is also supported by a constantly increasing local supply chain.