Boeing\u2019s MQ-28A Ghost Bat uncrewed combat aircraft is edging closer to operational service with its launch customer, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), even as the program prepares to take a major technological leap with the upcoming Block 3 configuration. Speaking at the Singapore Airshow this week, senior Boeing officials outlined how the next iteration of the aircraft will significantly expand its range, lethality, and adaptability\u2014features that also make it increasingly attractive to air forces across the Indo-Pacific.<\/strong><\/p>\n The update was delivered by Glen Ferguson, Boeing\u2019s MQ-28 program director, during briefings attended by international media and defense analysts, including contributors from The War Zone. Ferguson described Block 3 as the most ambitious evolution of the Ghost Bat to date, building directly on the lessons learned from earlier development phases while positioning the aircraft squarely within the emerging concept of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).<\/p>\n Australia has been at the heart of the MQ-28 program since its inception, working closely with Boeing Defense Australia (BDA) to develop a \u201cloyal wingman\u201d drone capable of operating alongside crewed aircraft. To date, the RAAF has acquired eight Block 1 aircraft, which serve as pre-production prototypes used primarily for flight testing, autonomy development, and concept validation.<\/p>\n Late last year, Canberra took a more decisive step toward operational capability by contracting Boeing for six additional Block 2 aircraft, adding to an earlier order of three of the same standard. These Block 2 drones are now in production and are widely seen as the bridge between experimentation and frontline service.<\/p>\n Despite that progress, timelines for full operational deployment remain somewhat opaque. Asked at the Singapore Airshow when the MQ-28 might formally enter RAAF service, Ferguson deferred to Australia\u2019s Ministry of Defence, underscoring that decisions about operational readiness ultimately rest with the customer rather than the manufacturer.<\/p>\n Still, the direction of travel is clear. At the same time as ordering more Block 2 aircraft, Australia also signed a contract for the development of the more advanced Block 3 variant\u2014a sign that the RAAF is already looking beyond initial service entry toward a more capable and survivable system.<\/p>\n One of the most significant upgrades in Block 3 is the addition of an internal weapons bay, a long-anticipated feature that fundamentally changes how the MQ-28 can be employed in combat. Ferguson confirmed that the bay will be sized to carry either a single AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) or two GBU-39\/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs), or weapons of comparable dimensions.<\/p>\n Another option under consideration is the carriage of two GBU-53\/B StormBreaker glide bombs, also known as SDB II, though Ferguson stressed that this configuration represents only an initial baseline rather than a hard limit.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best language to use is what we provision for in the weapons bay,\u201d he explained. \u201cBecause we are modular, because we have an open architecture, and because we have the ability for people to do things on their own, we can put any weapon in, across the board. Which ones we use is really up to customers.\u201d<\/p>\n That modularity extends backward as well as forward. According to Ferguson, even the existing Block 1 and Block 2 aircraft have sufficient internal space to accommodate a weapons bay, meaning that retrofitting earlier airframes remains an option should the RAAF choose to pursue it.<\/p>\n The MQ-28\u2019s path toward armed operations took a major step forward late last year with a landmark live-fire test involving a Block 2 aircraft. During the trial, the drone carried a single AMRAAM mounted externally on a prominent pylon\u2014a temporary solution ahead of the internal bay\u2019s introduction.<\/p>\n The test formed part of the Australian Defence Force\u2019s Trial Kareela 25-4 and showcased the Ghost Bat operating as a loyal wingman alongside an E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, with an F\/A-18F Super Hornet providing additional support.<\/p>\n In this scenario, the MQ-28 successfully engaged and destroyed an Australian-built Phoenix jet-powered target drone using a live AMRAAM. Boeing revealed new details at the Singapore Airshow about how responsibilities were divided among the three platforms during the engagement.<\/p>\n The Super Hornet initially detected and acquired the target. The E-7A Wedgetail then authorized the engagement and managed key elements of the kill chain. The MQ-28, however, was granted authority to intercept and destroy the target autonomously.<\/p>\n Crucially, Boeing emphasized that the drone required only four major commands from human controllers: to take off, to establish an orbit in a defensive counter-air patrol, to leave that orbit and intercept the target, and finally to arm and fire its missile once within engagement parameters. Everything else\u2014from navigation to timing\u2014was handled autonomously by the aircraft.<\/p>\n For advocates of CCAs, this demonstration was a powerful proof of concept, illustrating how uncrewed systems can reduce pilot workload while still operating within human-defined rules of engagement.<\/p>\n Beyond weapons, sensors remain central to the MQ-28\u2019s design philosophy. One of the aircraft\u2019s defining features is its highly modular construction, including a nose section that can be swapped out to accommodate different payloads depending on mission requirements.<\/p>\n On Block 2 aircraft, observers have already seen at least two MQ-28s fitted with an infrared search and track (IRST) sensor believed to be derived from a Leonardo (formerly Selex) system. IRST capability allows the drone to passively detect airborne targets without emitting radar signals, a valuable attribute in contested airspace.<\/p>\n Looking ahead to Block 3, Ferguson confirmed that Boeing is working on \u201cthree or four\u201d alternative sensor payloads, though he declined to provide details, citing commercial and security sensitivities. The implication, however, is clear: Block 3 will be able to support a wider range of missions, from air-to-air escort and strike support to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.<\/p>\n Block 3 will also be physically larger than its predecessors. According to information previously reported by Breaking Defense and confirmed by Boeing, the aircraft\u2019s wingspan will increase from roughly 20 feet to about 24 feet (around 6 to 7.3 meters). This change alone is expected to deliver a roughly 30 percent increase in fuel capacity.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the reasons we put the bigger wing on the Block 3 jet is for range,\u201d Ferguson said. \u201cRemember the Pacific mission. You obviously need range.\u201d<\/p>\n That emphasis on endurance and reach reflects the realities of Indo-Pacific operations, where vast distances and limited basing options place a premium on aircraft that can stay airborne longer and operate far from home bases.<\/p>\n Although not discussed in detail at the airshow, Boeing has previously hinted at the possibility of equipping future MQ-28 variants with aerial refueling capability, potentially via a receptacle compatible with boom-equipped tankers. Such a feature would dramatically extend the drone\u2019s on-station time but would also add complexity, cost, and integration challenges.<\/p>\n With Block 3 increasingly optimized for long-range operations and modular mission sets, Boeing sees significant export potential\u2014particularly in the Indo-Pacific. Ferguson said he could not comment on specific acquisition plans, but he acknowledged strong interest among regional air forces.<\/p>\n The United States has already taken exploratory steps. In 2022, the Pentagon confirmed that it had acquired at least one MQ-28 to support U.S. Air Force research into advanced uncrewed aircraft and autonomy. Since then, a U.S. Navy test and evaluation squadron has deployed to Australia to work with the aircraft, and at least one MQ-28 has operated from Naval Air Station Point Mugu in California.<\/p>\n Ferguson argued that demand for CCAs is accelerating rapidly. \u201cThe opportunities for CCAs in Southeast Asia are immense,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are having a conversation with a lot of potential customers right now about how they might field or deliver a CCA capability.\u201d<\/p>\n He also issued a warning to air forces that have not yet begun serious planning. \u201cFor the people out there who have not started thinking about it, there\u2019s a risk that in about three or four years you\u2019re going to be disappointed as you\u2019re behind everyone else,\u201d he said, pointing to what he described as a \u201cmassive appetite\u201d for adoption of loyal wingman-type systems.<\/p>\n One of the MQ-28\u2019s most distinctive selling points is the degree of sovereign control it offers to customers. Unlike many traditional crewed aircraft programs, which often involve deep dependence on original manufacturers for upgrades and integration, the Ghost Bat is designed to allow operators significant freedom.<\/p>\n According to Ferguson, nations that acquire the MQ-28 receive not just an air vehicle, but a core system that enables them to develop their own autonomous behaviors, integrate indigenous sensors, and employ weapons of their choosing\u2014without needing constant manufacturer involvement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have that with the RAAF, and we\u2019re looking to share that with other countries as they look to embrace a CCA capability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n This approach could be especially appealing to countries that prioritize defense sovereignty or that wish to tailor uncrewed systems to unique regional threats.<\/p>\n When pressed on which countries are actively discussing the MQ-28 with Boeing, Ferguson identified Japan as the only one he could publicly name. Australia and Japan have already taken concrete steps toward collaboration on the program.<\/p>\n During a meeting of Australian and Japanese defense ministers in September last year, the two sides signed an agreement to deepen bilateral defense cooperation, explicitly including the MQ-28. Under the arrangement, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is expected to participate in MQ-28 flight test observation and training activities this year.<\/p>\n Analysts see this cooperation as a potential foundation for a broader multinational production and operational framework\u2014one that could eventually align with existing security architectures such as AUKUS, linking Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n For now, the RAAF remains on track to become the first service to operate the MQ-28 in an operational role. Key milestones loom in 2028, when Block 2 aircraft are slated for service introduction and initial production of the Block 3 variant is expected to begin.<\/p>\n Yet the pace of development in uncrewed combat aviation suggests that the Ghost Bat\u2019s evolution may not stop there. As autonomy matures, sensors proliferate, and air forces refine concepts for manned-unmanned teaming, the MQ-28 is likely to see further upgrades and new mission profiles.<\/p>\n With global interest in CCAs growing and strategic competition intensifying across the Indo-Pacific, Boeing\u2019s Ghost Bat appears well positioned to move from experimental loyal wingman to a central element of future airpower\u2014both for Australia and for a widening circle of allies.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"mq-28](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theasialive.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mq-28-quartet-irst.jpg?resize=760%2C369\")
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