The Australian made and designed autonomous aircraft, MQ-28A Ghost Bat, has soared to a major capability milestone, backed by the Government’s $1 billion investment in developing this next generation combat drone.
“This is an important step forward in the development of this world-leading, Australian designed and made autonomous aircraft," the Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy said. “The Ghost Bat has the potential to turn a single fighter jet into a fighting team, with advanced sensors that are like hundreds of eyes in the sky."
The Ghost Bat is the first military combat aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.
“Autonomous collaborative platforms enhance the integrated force’s ability to deliver a strategy of denial, by increasing the lethality and survivability with a reduced risk to our forces," Conroy affirmed.
This latest capability demonstration conducted at Woomera has consisted of a single operator aboard an airborne E-7A Wedgetail taking control of two Ghost Bat aircraft to conduct a mission against an airborne target.
The government’s investment in uncrewed and autonomous systems is one of the key priorities outlined in the 2024 National Defence Strategy (NDS). The government will invest over $10 billion in drone capabilities including at least $4.3 billion in uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
Developed in cooperation with Boeing Defence Australia, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat has been Australia’s first exploration into collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) technology. CCA are uncrewed air vehicles that have the ability to team with crewed platforms performing mission roles and responsibilities typically associated with fighter aircraft.
"This trial demonstrates family-of-systems integration, the strength of our open systems architecture, and is a critical first step towards integrating mission partners' software and communications systems natively into the E-7A Wedgetail," Director of MQ-28 Global Programs, Glen Ferguson, stated.
"It not only validated a key element of the MQ-28 concept of operations, but also how collaborative combat aircraft can expand and enhance the role of the E-7A to meet future force requirements."
Future events will involve teaming with other assets, including F/A-18F and F-35.