Australia / Autonomy

MQ-28 Ghost Bat

Australian collaborative aircraft development with government-reported demonstrations, contracted aircraft development and participation in a multinational exercise, alongside a separately proposed German industry offer.

DOCUMENTED STAGEDemonstrations, exercise participation and contracted developmentEvidence through 10 Jul 2026Sources reviewed 4 Oct 2026

THE DEVELOPMENT RECORD

Milestones, with receipts.

5 Sept 2025

Collaborative demonstrations reported

Australian officials described demonstrations involving human supervision from an E-7 and multiple Ghost Bat aircraft. This is the briefing date, not an inferred date for every test.

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5 Sept 2025

Data-sharing progress described

Boeing reported demonstrations of fusion and information sharing between aircraft and a crewed platform. This remains a manufacturer-reported result.

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9 Dec 2025

Live-fire demonstration reported

Australian Defence reported a successful demonstration against an aerial target. This entry uses the announcement date; the release does not make this a declaration of fleet-wide operational service.

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9 Dec 2025

Further aircraft contracts announced

Australian Defence announced contracts for six Block 2 aircraft and development of a Block 3 prototype. The procurement announcement is separate from the reported demonstration and does not establish completed delivery.

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31 Mar 2026

German industry partnership announced

Rheinmetall and Boeing announced a partnership to offer Ghost Bat to Germany. The announcement describes proposed roles and a future deployment ambition, not a signed German aircraft purchase.

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10 Jun 2026

German offer team expands

Boeing announced Diehl Defence and Rohde & Schwarz joining its German industry team. The release describes exploration and prospective integration work; it does not report a German delivery or service-entry milestone.

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10 Jul 2026

Multinational exercise participation reported

Australian Defence reported Ghost Bat participation in Exercise Valiant Shield through a US-led program with RAAF observers and support. This entry uses the report date, not an inferred date for each flight, and does not establish operational acceptance of the contracted fleet.

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SUPPORTED BY THE RECORD

What we know

Australian Defence reported collaborative demonstrations, additional aircraft-development contracts and subsequent international exercise participation.
Boeing and Rheinmetall announced an industry team for a German offer.
A demonstration, exercise participation, a contract and an industry partnership establish different kinds of progress.

STILL OPEN

What we don’t know

The delivered quantity of the later contracted Australian aircraft is not established by this record.
These German industry announcements do not establish a German aircraft purchase or operational acceptance.
Detailed test results and the full division of human and automated responsibilities are not public in these releases.

Scope of this record

Selected government and manufacturer evidence through Australian Defence’s 10 July 2026 exercise report. Exercise participation does not establish fleet-wide operational acceptance; German industry agreements remain an offer. Reviewed 4 October 2026; not a continuously monitored inventory.

SOURCE REGISTER

Read the evidence.

01
Press Conference, WoomeraAustralian Department of Defence · 5 Sept 2025
02
Boeing, RAAF Prove MQ-28 Operational EffectivenessBoeing · 5 Sept 2025
03
Funding boost for Australian-made Ghost BatAustralian Department of Defence · 9 Dec 2025
04
Rheinmetall and Boeing partner on German MQ-28 Ghost BatRheinmetall · 31 Mar 2026
05
Boeing Expands German MQ-28 Ghost Bat Industry TeamBoeing · 10 Jun 2026
06
Allies sharpen Pacific readinessAustralian Department of Defence · 10 Jul 2026