Australian MQ-28 Ghost Bat Drone Completes First Operational Flights in the U.S.
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Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat has completed its first operational flights outside Australia, conducting three test missions from Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, California, a milestone the company announced on May 27, 2026. The deployment demonstrates that the autonomous collaborative combat aircraft can rapidly operate from allied bases, a capability that could expand force flexibility and resilience in future coalition air campaigns.
The flights validated key autonomous functions while proving the aircraft’s ability to sustain operations away from its home environment. As the United States accelerates development of its own collaborative combat aircraft programs, the Ghost Bat’s overseas deployment highlights the growing role of autonomous wingmen in extending combat reach, increasing survivability, and supporting next-generation airpower operations.
Related News: Australia’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Loyal Wingman Drone to Enter Combat Service by 2028
An MQ-28A Ghost Bat takes off during a test flight at Woomera, South Australia, on September 5, 2025 (Picture source: Australian MoD)
Developed by Boeing Defence Australia in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the MQ-28 had previously conducted all flight testing within Australia, primarily at the Woomera Range Complex. The deployment to the United States provides an opportunity to evaluate the aircraft’s ability to operate within a different regulatory environment, integrate with U.S. military infrastructure, and support missions within an allied operational framework. For Boeing, the activity also demonstrates capabilities to potential export customers as the program progresses beyond its initial development phase.
According to MQ-28 Global Program Director Glen Ferguson, the activities at Point Mugu form part of a broader effort to advance the aircraft’s maturity and demonstrate operations from allied locations. The flights were conducted under U.S. airspace regulations and range safety procedures, with support from relevant authorities and certified test-range assets. Point Mugu provides a controlled maritime environment suited to evaluating autonomous systems, data links, and operational integration with U.S. military assets.
U.S. interest in the MQ-28 can be viewed within the wider context of collaborative combat aircraft development. The U.S. Air Force is pursuing its own Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programs to operate alongside the F-35A Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, and future aircraft associated with the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. In this environment, the Ghost Bat represents an example of a collaborative aircraft that has already accumulated extensive flight-testing experience and demonstrated integration with crewed platforms. Its design is intended to support functions such as forward sensing, communications relay, and distributed mission execution alongside existing combat aircraft.
The MQ-28 belongs to a new generation of collaborative aircraft designed to operate with both combat and support aviation assets. The aircraft measures 11.7 meters in length, has a wingspan of 7.3 meters, and weighs approximately 3,175 kilograms. Powered by a Williams International FJ44 turbofan engine, it can reach speeds of up to Mach 0.9 and operate at altitudes exceeding 40,000 feet (12,192 meters). Boeing states that the aircraft has a range of more than 2,000 nautical miles (approximately 3,700 kilometers), allowing it to cover large maritime and continental operating areas.
A key characteristic of the MQ-28 is its modular architecture. Its interchangeable nose section provides approximately 1.5 cubic meters of internal volume for mission equipment. Boeing has presented configurations designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Warfare (EW), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), and airborne sensing missions. Some recent aircraft have also been equipped with an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor capable of detecting and tracking airborne targets through their thermal signatures without emitting radar energy. This passive capability can be useful in environments where reducing electromagnetic emissions is operationally important.
The program has achieved several milestones during the past eighteen months. In March 2025, Boeing and the RAAF completed the program’s 100th flight. In June 2025, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft successfully controlled two MQ-28s in flight together with a third virtual aircraft during a mission involving a simulated airborne target. In December 2025, the program conducted its first autonomous air-to-air engagement using an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) in cooperation with an E-7A Wedgetail and an F/A-18F Super Hornet. The AIM-120 provides beyond-visual-range engagement capability and demonstrates the aircraft’s ability to operate within a networked combat architecture.
For U.S. forces, the concept offers several potential complementary applications. Alongside the F-35A, the MQ-28 could extend sensor coverage while reducing the exposure of crewed aircraft during the initial stages of an operation. Working with the E-7A Wedgetail, which the U.S. Air Force plans to introduce as part of its future airborne early warning capability, the aircraft could function as a forward sensor or communications relay. In a maritime context, the U.S. Navy could evaluate similar concepts to support carrier strike groups, conduct surveillance missions, or contribute to the protection of high-value assets. Aircraft such as the KC-46 Pegasus tanker, airborne command-and-control platforms, and other support aircraft could potentially benefit from additional layers of sensing, electronic warfare, or forward screening.
From a tactical perspective, the Ghost Bat is designed to extend the operational reach of crewed aircraft while reducing their exposure to hostile defenses. Through manned-unmanned teaming architectures, it can conduct missions involving sensing, target identification, electronic warfare, decoy operations, and weapons employment while remaining connected to fighters, command aircraft, or ground-based command networks through secure data links. Unlike traditional wingman concepts, the MQ-28 does not need to remain in proximity to the aircraft directing it. It can operate tens or even hundreds of kilometers ahead of the main formation, expanding sensor coverage and creating additional engagement options across the battlespace.
The activities at Point Mugu, therefore, represent more than a technical flight-test campaign. They reflect the growing defense cooperation between Australia and the United States in the field of autonomous combat systems while also highlighting broader allied interest in collaborative aircraft concepts. As military planners seek ways to increase combat mass, distribute risk, and preserve high-value crewed assets in increasingly contested environments, systems such as the MQ-28 are becoming part of ongoing discussions about the future composition of allied air forces. Its operations in U.S. airspace provide another opportunity to assess how collaborative aircraft could be integrated into future multinational air operations and distributed combat networks.
Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition GroupErwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.
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Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat has completed its first operational flights outside Australia, conducting three test missions from Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, California, a milestone the company announced on May 27, 2026. The deployment demonstrates that the autonomous collaborative combat aircraft can rapidly operate from allied bases, a capability that could expand force flexibility and resilience in future coalition air campaigns.
The flights validated key autonomous functions while proving the aircraft’s ability to sustain operations away from its home environment. As the United States accelerates development of its own collaborative combat aircraft programs, the Ghost Bat’s overseas deployment highlights the growing role of autonomous wingmen in extending combat reach, increasing survivability, and supporting next-generation airpower operations.
Related News: Australia’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Loyal Wingman Drone to Enter Combat Service by 2028
An MQ-28A Ghost Bat takes off during a test flight at Woomera, South Australia, on September 5, 2025 (Picture source: Australian MoD)
Developed by Boeing Defence Australia in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the MQ-28 had previously conducted all flight testing within Australia, primarily at the Woomera Range Complex. The deployment to the United States provides an opportunity to evaluate the aircraft’s ability to operate within a different regulatory environment, integrate with U.S. military infrastructure, and support missions within an allied operational framework. For Boeing, the activity also demonstrates capabilities to potential export customers as the program progresses beyond its initial development phase.
According to MQ-28 Global Program Director Glen Ferguson, the activities at Point Mugu form part of a broader effort to advance the aircraft’s maturity and demonstrate operations from allied locations. The flights were conducted under U.S. airspace regulations and range safety procedures, with support from relevant authorities and certified test-range assets. Point Mugu provides a controlled maritime environment suited to evaluating autonomous systems, data links, and operational integration with U.S. military assets.
U.S. interest in the MQ-28 can be viewed within the wider context of collaborative combat aircraft development. The U.S. Air Force is pursuing its own Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programs to operate alongside the F-35A Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, and future aircraft associated with the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. In this environment, the Ghost Bat represents an example of a collaborative aircraft that has already accumulated extensive flight-testing experience and demonstrated integration with crewed platforms. Its design is intended to support functions such as forward sensing, communications relay, and distributed mission execution alongside existing combat aircraft.
The MQ-28 belongs to a new generation of collaborative aircraft designed to operate with both combat and support aviation assets. The aircraft measures 11.7 meters in length, has a wingspan of 7.3 meters, and weighs approximately 3,175 kilograms. Powered by a Williams International FJ44 turbofan engine, it can reach speeds of up to Mach 0.9 and operate at altitudes exceeding 40,000 feet (12,192 meters). Boeing states that the aircraft has a range of more than 2,000 nautical miles (approximately 3,700 kilometers), allowing it to cover large maritime and continental operating areas.
A key characteristic of the MQ-28 is its modular architecture. Its interchangeable nose section provides approximately 1.5 cubic meters of internal volume for mission equipment. Boeing has presented configurations designed for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Warfare (EW), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), and airborne sensing missions. Some recent aircraft have also been equipped with an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor capable of detecting and tracking airborne targets through their thermal signatures without emitting radar energy. This passive capability can be useful in environments where reducing electromagnetic emissions is operationally important.
The program has achieved several milestones during the past eighteen months. In March 2025, Boeing and the RAAF completed the program’s 100th flight. In June 2025, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft successfully controlled two MQ-28s in flight together with a third virtual aircraft during a mission involving a simulated airborne target. In December 2025, the program conducted its first autonomous air-to-air engagement using an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) in cooperation with an E-7A Wedgetail and an F/A-18F Super Hornet. The AIM-120 provides beyond-visual-range engagement capability and demonstrates the aircraft’s ability to operate within a networked combat architecture.
For U.S. forces, the concept offers several potential complementary applications. Alongside the F-35A, the MQ-28 could extend sensor coverage while reducing the exposure of crewed aircraft during the initial stages of an operation. Working with the E-7A Wedgetail, which the U.S. Air Force plans to introduce as part of its future airborne early warning capability, the aircraft could function as a forward sensor or communications relay. In a maritime context, the U.S. Navy could evaluate similar concepts to support carrier strike groups, conduct surveillance missions, or contribute to the protection of high-value assets. Aircraft such as the KC-46 Pegasus tanker, airborne command-and-control platforms, and other support aircraft could potentially benefit from additional layers of sensing, electronic warfare, or forward screening.
From a tactical perspective, the Ghost Bat is designed to extend the operational reach of crewed aircraft while reducing their exposure to hostile defenses. Through manned-unmanned teaming architectures, it can conduct missions involving sensing, target identification, electronic warfare, decoy operations, and weapons employment while remaining connected to fighters, command aircraft, or ground-based command networks through secure data links. Unlike traditional wingman concepts, the MQ-28 does not need to remain in proximity to the aircraft directing it. It can operate tens or even hundreds of kilometers ahead of the main formation, expanding sensor coverage and creating additional engagement options across the battlespace.
The activities at Point Mugu, therefore, represent more than a technical flight-test campaign. They reflect the growing defense cooperation between Australia and the United States in the field of autonomous combat systems while also highlighting broader allied interest in collaborative aircraft concepts. As military planners seek ways to increase combat mass, distribute risk, and preserve high-value crewed assets in increasingly contested environments, systems such as the MQ-28 are becoming part of ongoing discussions about the future composition of allied air forces. Its operations in U.S. airspace provide another opportunity to assess how collaborative aircraft could be integrated into future multinational air operations and distributed combat networks.
Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.
