Boeing is eyeing Europe as the next arena for expanding the global footprint of the company’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed jet.
Speaking at the Paris air show at Le Bourget, executives from Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) say the airframer is actively looking for a European partner to further develop the Ghost Bat, which has been undergoing flight and integration testing in Australia since 2021.
The MQ-28 is a joint development effort between Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). After logging more than 100 test flights down under, Canberra is now evaluating its options for a large-scale fielding of the uncrewed platform, with a formal recommendation expected by year’s end.
“We want to look at what are some of the potential opportunities to replicate that model inside of Europe,” says Bernd Peters, head of business development at BDS. “We know the script well.”
Although the MQ-28 was initially passed over for the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) nascent Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) uncrewed fighter programme, Boeing defence chief executive Steve Parker still sees great promise for the type.
“It’s the most advanced CCA out there today,” Parker says.
Boeing’s main competitors in the space, including Anduril and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, are preparing to fly their CCA prototypes for the USAF in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Europe is still working out concepts for integrating autonomous aircraft with conventional fighter jets. Dassault Aviation revealed a vehicle this week at Le Bourget, which is planned for integration with the forthcoming F5 standard of Dassault’s Rafale fighter.
Across the English Channel, the UK Ministry of Defence is developing requirements for so-called autonomous collaborative platforms (ACPs) that could team with the future sixth-generation fighter known as Tempest.
BAE Systems early last year confirmed plans to fly an ACP demonstrator in 2026.
Boeing is eyeing that programme as an opportunity to bring the MQ-28 northward.
“We feel there’s significant opportunity in Europe because of their aspirations on autonomy,” Peters says.
Building toward that goal, Boeing is testing increasingly advanced functionality for the Ghost Bat. Multi-ship operations are now occurring regularly, with a planned test shot of an air-to-air missile later this year.
Ahead of the Paris air show, Boeing and the RAAF successfully integrated two MQ-28s with one of Australia’s Boeing-made E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control jets.
That flight saw a systems operator aboard the E-7A control two physical MQ-28s, plus a third simulated digitally, directing the uncrewed jets to fly ahead of the Wedgetail in protective formation.
The UK notably plans to field three E-7As for the Royal Air Force.
Following the Wedgetail test, Australia’s minister for defence industry Pat Conroy lauded the Ghost Bat as a force multiplier.
“The Ghost Bat has the potential to turn a single fighter into a fighting team,” Conroy says.
Boeing plans to further round out the Ghost Bat with additional capabilities in the coming years, including electronic warfare, communications support, air-to-ground strike and teaming demonstrations with fighter aircraft, including the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35.
“This capability is coming,” Parker says. “And we are at the front of this revolution.”
