Lead
In early September 2025 at the Woomera test range in South Australia, two MQ-28A Ghost Bat drones built with Boeing completed programmed flights, a milestone in Australia’s roughly $650 million effort to restart domestic military aircraft production and strengthen its air defenses.
Key Takeaways
- Australia has spent about $650 million in a partnership with Boeing to develop the MQ-28A Ghost Bat.
- The Ghost Bat is a 38-foot-long, unmanned collaborative combat aircraft (or “loyal wingman”).
- The program aims to produce the first military plane designed and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.
- Boeing says roughly 70% of the Ghost Bat’s components will be made in Australia; factories are planned in Toowoomba, Queensland.
- The Ghost Bat has an estimated range of about 2,300 miles and is intended to operate alongside manned fighters at a fraction of the cost.
- Regional competitors, including China and the United States, are also developing similar unmanned “loyal wingman” systems.
Verified Facts
The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is an unmanned aircraft roughly 38 feet long that Boeing and Australian partners are developing as a collaborative combat aircraft. Australian officials say the type is meant to act as a low-cost, lower-risk supplement to piloted fighters, expanding surveillance and strike options while reducing human exposure.
To date, Canberra has invested about $650 million in the Boeing partnership. Australian and Boeing representatives report that about 70 percent of the jet’s components will be manufactured in Australia, and Boeing has begun infrastructure work in Toowoomba, Queensland, to support production.
Australian authorities conducted public test flights at the Woomera Prohibited Area, a large weapons-testing range in South Australia long used by Australian, British and U.S. forces. Officials describe the tests as preprogrammed missions with remote pilots able to assume control if needed.
Government and industry sources estimate the Ghost Bat will cost roughly one-tenth as much as a manned fifth-generation fighter such as the F-35, giving Canberra a cheaper way to scale aerial capacity. The aircraft’s range is reported at about 2,300 miles, allowing wide domestic coverage and regional reach.
Context & Impact
The Ghost Bat project arrives as Australia seeks greater sovereign defense capability after decades of reliance on foreign suppliers. Reviving domestic manufacturing addresses supply-chain and political risks associated with depending entirely on allies for critical equipment.
Regionally, several countries are accelerating unmanned combat development. China recently displayed comparable “loyal wingman” types at a public event, and the U.S. Air Force is pursuing similar systems. Analysts say the spread of these platforms reflects broader shifts in military planning and an emphasis on attritable, networked assets.
Potential consequences include:
- Faster force expansion at lower unit cost by fielding attritable drones alongside manned aircraft.
- Strengthened Australia–U.S. industrial ties through joint programs and supply integration.
- Pressure on neighbors to pursue comparable systems, raising the prospect of an unmanned aircraft arms competition.
Official Statements
“We’re seeing the biggest conventional arms race since World War II,”
Pat Conroy, Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry
Unconfirmed
- Reports that the U.S. Navy may purchase Ghost Bat variants have circulated in media but have not been formally confirmed by U.S. or Australian defense authorities.
- The long-term effect of U.S. political shifts on programs tied to AUKUS and deeper industrial integration remains under review and subject to official clarification.
Bottom Line
The MQ-28A Ghost Bat program marks a clear pivot by Canberra toward rebuilding a sovereign defense industrial base while deepening practical ties with U.S. industry partners. If Australia can sustain production and develop export customers, the project could reshape regional force structures by making attritable, networked aircraft a central part of future air strategies.