Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have, for the first time, deployed to and operated the MQ-28 collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) at an operational Air Force base.
“Boeing is well advanced in proving MQ-28’s operational capability and this is another significant milestone in demonstrating the utility of the aircraft across varying scenarios,” Boeing Defence Australia’s MQ-28 global program director, Glen Ferguson, said.
Exercise Carlsbad at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory was a trial in testing the autonomous aircraft’s ability to establish operations and deploy from any location, particularly unfamiliar environments.
“This deployment highlights the maturity of our program and provides a strong foundation for future capability demonstrations including teaming with crewed RAAF assets,” Ferguson stated. “It was also an opportunity for us to execute some of the elements required to integrate MQ-28 into the force mix including interacting with multiple Defence organisations and units.”
MQ-28 deployment to RAAF Base Tindal has given a foundation for integrating it into Australia's force mix. Future events for the MQ-28 will involve teaming with other assets, including F/A-18F and F-35.
The first mission at a deployed location was achieved within a seven day period in April to test and demonstrate the ability to deploy the capability in a C-17, establish and conduct operations and then redeploy within a short period of time.
“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," the Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, affirmed.
Previous to this test, the CCA has undertaken a capability demonstration at Woomera, which consisted of a single operator aboard an airborne E-7A Wedgetail gaining control of two MQ-28 aircrafts to conduct a mission against an airborne target.