Boeing unveiled at ILA Berlin 2026 the brand new capabilities throughout the MQ-28 Ghost Bat’s roadmap, together with inner weapon bays and bigger wings.
Boeing has unveiled on the ILA Berlin 2026 airshow the brand new capabilities that might be added to the MQ-28 Ghost Bat as a part of the drone’s expertise roadmap. The corporate says these will “additional improve the platform’s flexibility, vary and capability for international clients.”
New capabilities
The introduced enhancements embody 25% bigger wings, which permits the MQ-28 to hold an extra 2,000 kilos of gas, shops, and mission payloads. The elevated wingspan permits the drone to succeed in a Most Take Off Weight (MTOW) of 12,000 lb (5,400 kg), with a helpful load of 4,500 lb (2,000 kg).
“That extra capability offers operators freedom to stability payload and endurance to configure for the mission at hand, whether or not meaning carrying additional gas for longer-range operations, growing weapons carriage, or any mixture of each,” stated Glen Ferguson, MQ-28 international program director.
✅ >25% bigger wing✅ Elevated gas and payload capability✅ Past Line of Sight functionality✅ Inner weapons stations for larger mission configurability
MQ-28 Ghost Bat enhancements ship flexibility, vary and capability developments.
Extra: pic.twitter.com/7EK5fUD11h
— Boeing Australia (@BoeingAustralia) June 10, 2026
Upgrades can even be utilized to the software program, which might be compliant with Authorities Reference Structure, and to the modular, missionized nostril. The structure would help the customization of weapons, payloads, command and management, and mission autonomy based mostly on a buyer’s operational necessities, whereas the upgraded nostril would offer enhanced payload configuration choices and helps insertion of third-party functionality.
The brand new provisions would enable to hold two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles or 4 GBU-39/GBU-53 Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) internally. Moreover, Boeing says there may be the choice for 3 exterior weapon stations, if required by a buyer.
The improve is accomplished by Past Line of Sight (BLOS) communications, permitting the MQ-28 to be managed “at limitless standoff distances.” The Ghost Bat has a variety of over 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km), with the operator controlling it based mostly on both on the floor or on an airborne platform.
“These options, developed in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Power, might be progressively launched to the fleet by means of a spiral improve program, and can be found to allied international locations,” stated Ferguson. “Inclusion of options similar to BLOS functionality are a direct results of our learnings so far together with suggestions from Air Forces as they perceive extra in regards to the position and integration of CCAs into joint power operations.”
Within the press launch, Boeing didn’t affiliate the brand new capabilities with the MQ-28’s Block 2 at present in manufacturing or the long run Block 3. Nonetheless, the brand new capabilities look like in step with among the particulars already launched on the Block 3.
Aviation Week reported earlier this 12 months that the Block 3 would see the wingspan prolonged by 20 ft (6 m), though the 25% of the present 24 ft (7.3 m) quantities to solely 6 ft (1.8 m). The Block 3 was additionally anticipated to incorporate weapon bays sized for AMRAAMs and SDBs.
Moreover, Boeing lately disclosed that it has carried out Radar Cross Part (RCS) testing on the MQ-28. The corporate stated the testing allowed to validate the plane’s stealth efficiency, which provides enhanced survivability to the Ghost Bat.
“The superior maturity of the MQ-28 techniques is what permits us to repeatedly adapt to the altering operational atmosphere and minimise the chance as we transition to operations,” stated Amy Listing, vp and managing director of Boeing Defence Australia, at ILA 2026. “Mixed with the MQ-28’s confirmed low observability traits, and survivability upgrades, these functionality enhancements help extra versatile mission ideas and additional enable Defence clients to distribute operational danger.”
The MQ-28 Ghost Bat
Designed by Boeing Defence Australia for the RAAF as a multirole system able to working along with crewed plane, the Ghost Bat was initially generally known as the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS). The event began in 2013, with the prototype unveiled for the primary time throughout the 2019 version of the Australian Airshow and the maiden flight on Feb. 27, 2021, on the Woomera Vary Complicated in Southern Australia.
The multirole unmanned platform has a 1.5 cubic meter nostril that may maintain interchangeable payloads for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), aerial radar surveillance, EW/ELINT sensors and different assault munitions. The plane has been described as a next-generation Loyal Wingman, whose growth concerned 55 Australian corporations and, as of Feb. 2024, had obtained $600 million in funding.
In accordance to Boeing, the Ghost Bat employs “AI (Synthetic Intelligence) to work as a wise crew with present navy plane to enrich and prolong airborne missions.” The scale of a small, lightweight class fighter, with aspect air intakes, cranked-kite wings and canted V-tails, the MQ-28 can fly for almost 3,200 km and “fly independently” with its AI.
Renders from Boeing have proven the Ghost Bat flying with help and particular mission plane just like the E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C plane and the F-15EX. In accordance with Ferguson, “throughout a typical mission, a launch and restoration operator […] would oversee the plane because it takes flight.”
“It will then be handed off to a crewed plane, similar to an E-7A, F-35A or F/A-18F, whose crew duties it to carry out, for instance, an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission,” added Ferguson whereas explaining the idea of operations. The MUM-T (Manned Unmanned Teaming) may not essentially happen in shut formation, but it surely may work even with the plane very far aside over dozens of kilometers, relying on mission necessities.
The closely stealth-oriented design has additionally been proven in renderings with three totally different nostril sections, with one integrating an IRST (Infrared Search and Monitor) sensor. Based mostly on their look, the opposite two may probably be meant for ISR and EW/ELINT roles, the latter involving finding, jamming or overwhelming adversary floor radars.
The MQ-28 may additionally serve in an escort position for high-value help belongings just like the E-7A AEW&C plane or KC-30 aerial refuelers. It’s nonetheless not recognized if the unmanned plane is considered as an attritable system used for enhancing manned platforms’ survivability. Following the mission’s completion, “the plane could be handed again to the launch and restoration operator to supervise touchdown, deceleration and full cease of the automobile,” Ferguson stated.
The uncrewed plane reached some vital milestones within the final 12 months. Amongst these was the June 2025 take a look at which noticed an E-7 Wedgetail controlling two MQ-28s in a mission towards a simulated airborne goal.
In December 2025, Boeing disclosed the first live-fire take a look at of the MQ-28 with an AIM-120 Superior Medium-Vary Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). On that event, the plane teamed up with an E-7 Wedgetail and an F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet of the Royal Australian Air Power (RAAF).
The RAAF described it as “an illustration of a Collaborative Fight Plane (CCA) using an air-to-air weapon towards an aerial goal in an operationally related state of affairs.” It’s doubtless the Ghost Bat acted as an off-board weapons launch platform, leveraging sensor, detection, management and steerage knowledge from the crewed platforms.
In Might 2026, Boeing disclosed that the MQ-28 Ghost Bat is now flying within the U.S., in what has been outlined as the primary flights overseas. Beforehand the plane flew solely in Australia, the place the MQ-28 was developed and constructed by Boeing Australia.
Thus far, the uncrewed plane accomplished three operational flight assessments on the Level Mugu Sea Vary at U.S. Naval Base Ventura County, Level Mugu, California. The corporate didn’t disclose when these flights have been carried out.
Nonetheless, it was already recognized that no less than one MQ-28 was at NAS Ventura County, because the plane was clearly seen in a video launched after the U.S. Secretary of Battle Pete Hegseth to the set up in December 2025. It’s doable, nonetheless, that two plane are at present there as two totally different plane may be seen within the December 2025 and Might 2026 movies.
