MQ-28 Ghost Bat deployed out of an operational air base for first time

Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have deployed and operated the MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) out of an operational air base for the first time, Boeing reported on 25 June 2025.

The deployment, which occurred under Exercise ‘Carlsbad’ at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory, was a proof point for the autonomous aircraft’s ability to establish operations and deploy from any location, particularly unfamiliar environments.

The first mission at a deployed location was achieved within a seven-day period in April 2025 to test and demonstrate the ability to deploy the capability via a C-17 airlifter, establish and conduct operations and then redeploy within a short period of time.

“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,” Glen Ferguson, Boeing Defence Australia’s MQ-28 global programme director, was quoted as saying in a Boeing press release.

“This deployment highlights the maturity of our program and provides a strong foundation for future capability demonstrations including teaming with crewed RAAF assets,” Ferguson added. “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.”

Meanwhile, Boeing announced on 16 June 2025 that Boeing and the RAAF had successfully conducted a mission against an airborne target using two in-flight MQ-28 CCAs and a third digital aircraft, all controlled from an airborne E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft.

During the mission a single operator on board the E-7A took control of the uncrewed MQ-28s, emulating the role they play in flying ahead of and protecting crewed air platforms.

The trial was part of a series of events with RAAF assets occurring throughout this year, collectively known as Capability Demonstration 2025 (CD25), that will demonstrate MQ-28 operational effectiveness and how CCAs will integrate and operate with RAAF crewed assets. Future events will involve teaming with other air platforms, including F/A-18F and F-35 combat 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,” said Ferguson. “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.”