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Australian Defence Force MQ-28A Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft will conduct air-to-air weapons firing testing later this year, with long-term plans to enter full production in Queensland in future.
The forecasting was announced by Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy during a Queensland Media Club “Delivering Australia’s defence capability” address on 19 August.
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The aircraft previously completed testing earlier this year, in which a single human operator onboard a RAAF E-7A Wedgetail was able to successfully control two Ghost Bats in a mission against airborne targets.
“We plan to conduct an MQ-28A air-to-air weapon firing test (with missiles) later this year. The government has approved the development of three next-generation Ghost Bats with an enhanced design and improved capabilities,” Minister Conroy said.
“Ghost Bat is the first military aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.
“We are working closely with Boeing Defence Australia to ensure we take advantage of export opportunities, because we want to entrench and enhance the skill base we’ve already created here in Queensland in this groundbreaking technology.
“If we take it to the next stage, which is full production, it will be built right here in Queensland.”
Conroy announced that, as of 25 July, the Ghost Bat platform has performed more than 20,000 hours of digital twin testing, 119 live sorties and 146 flight hours.
“Australia leads the world in this technology, which teams drones with crewed aircraft, allowing the drones to work together with each other and with the crewed aircraft as one team to achieve the mission,” he said.
“The technology is in the early stages of adoption by Air Forces around the world.
“Australia is a lot further down the road of developing this technology than many people realise. Seventy per cent of the Ghost Bat program is being delivered by Australian industry, with over 200 Australian companies contributing to the program since its inception.
“Queensland companies like Ferra, Microelectronic Technologies, B&R, and Coastal Aviation are critical to the success of the Ghost Bat initiative.”
