What Happened
Royal Australian Air Force Expands Autonomous Capabilities
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has signed a contract with Boeing for its first operational batch of MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft, marking a significant milestone in the program’s transition from flight testing to formal acquisition. The deal, worth around AU$1 billion ($660 million), covers an initial six air vehicles and paves the way for potential future orders. The MQ-28, developed by Boeing Australia, is designed to operate alongside crewed aircraft as a ’loyal wingman’, performing missions such as intelligence collection and sensing. According to AeroTime, the aircraft has demonstrated increasing autonomy and integration with other air assets during trials, which were completed four months ahead of schedule.