By AFP and Focus | 2026-04-07

Boeing Defense Australia and German defense giant Rheinmetall said March 31 they had struck a partnership to offer the MQ-28 Ghost Bat unmanned aerial vehicle to the German military. The move positions the Australian-developed drone as a contender in Berlin's push to field collaborative combat aircraft and underscores Australia's expanding role as a US-aligned defense innovator.

After inspecting the Ghost Bat in Queensland on March 27, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said it was a "serious competitor." As Berlin advances plans to field hundreds of unmanned fighter jets by 2029, he added that Germany would "make a decision as soon as possible."

Australia has confirmed it will integrate the Ghost Bat, jointly developed by Boeing Australia and the Australian air force, into its front-line inventory following a successful weapon test last year. The move reflects a broader push among US allies to expand autonomous airpower capabilities.

Boeing Australia and Rheinmetall said March 31 they had entered a strategic partnership to offer the MQ-28 Ghost Bat as a "mature solution" for Germany's collaborative combat aircraft requirement by 2029. The program highlights Canberra's ability to deliver sovereign-designed systems to allied militaries.

Industrial tie-up

Australian sources said Canberra would consider striking a deal to transfer the underlying technology to Germany. This pact would allow the aircraft to be manufactured in Europe and strengthen supply resilience across allied defense networks.

"With Boeing Defense Australia as a partner, we are laying the groundwork to optimally tailor the MQ-28 to the Bundeswehr's requirements," Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said, referring to the German armed forces.

Under the partnership, Rheinmetall would act as system manager for the aircraft in Germany. It would oversee integration into Bundeswehr command and weapon systems, adapt the platform to national requirements and support operations, maintenance and logistics. The arrangement would expand Europe-based industrial participation.

Rheinmetall already operates in Australia, producing troop carriers in Brisbane under a similar industrial arrangement. That contract reflects growing Australian-German defense ties.

Ghost Bat is not subject to strict US defense export controls that other projects involving US partners must navigate. Thus, the manufacturers can offer Ghost Bat more easily to foreign customers, analysts say.

First in 50 years

The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is the first military aircraft designed and built in Australia in more than 50 years. It is intended to operate alongside crewed aircraft and enable "advanced human–machine teams," Australia's Department of Defense said in January.

The aircraft's technical maturity is supported by an extensive flight test program. The MQ-28 has completed more than 150 test flights, including a high-profile trial in which it conducted its first live-fire event by launching an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile at a test range in Australia, according to the War Zone. Its demonstrated level of maturity could reduce development risk for prospective buyers.

Australia's vast coastline and relatively small population have driven its investment in autonomous submarines and fighter aircraft. It is making a broader effort to strengthen deterrence and distributed airpower in the Indo-Pacific amid China's growing naval presence.

High-end and low-cost

Australian Strategic Policy Institute defense analyst Malcolm Davis said the Ghost Bat was designed to work alongside a crewed jet and return to base, unlike single-use systems.

The platform has been described as a "proven autonomous" system. It is designed to act as a force multiplier in contested airspace and support missions including reconnaissance, electronic warfare and strike operations. Its modular architecture enables continuous upgrades.

"This is a new type of approach to airpower where you have a crewed fighter giving directions to four or five Ghost Bats flying in formation with it," Davis said.

"It is a robot fighter that is told to go off and patrol that target, shoot that down."

Uncrewed aircraft would allow Australia to make its air force larger and more powerful at lower cost, he said.

While the Ghost Bat represents a high-end capability, Pistorius noted the rise of cheaper, mass-produced drones in the Iran and Ukraine conflicts.

"We can't ignore high-end products as well as low-cost products -- we need both," he said.