Boeing performed testing for the MQ-28 Ghost Bat’s Radar Cross Part, validating its stealth efficiency.
Boeing introduced on June 1, 2026, that it has performed Radar Cross Part (RCS) testing on the MQ-28 Ghost Bat Collaborative Fight Plane (CCA). The corporate says the testing allowed to validate the plane’s stealth efficiency, which provides enhanced survivability to the Ghost Bat.
The press launch additional added that RCS testing was performed on an MQ-28 to “present prospects with goal, repeatable knowledge about survivability and detection dangers.” RCS is a vital engineering factor for low observable or stealth plane, because the smaller it will get, the harder it’s to detect the plane.
RCS refers back to the quantity of radar power mirrored again to a radar receiver from a transmitter. Particularly, it’s outlined as an imaginary goal space that might replicate the identical energy again to the radar because the precise goal, on this case the MQ-28.
Along with validating designs and fashions, the corporate says this testing will assist procurement and certification and information ways and countermeasure decisions. Moreover, Boeing says “this milestone additional demonstrates the platform’s maturity, survivability, and talent to ship cost-effective superior functionality for contemporary air fight operations.”
“The mix of a extremely succesful platform, stealth options, superior autonomy and synthetic intelligence offers unprecedented capacity for air forces to increase their mission effectiveness and operational flexibility,” says Brad Thompson, Director for Phantom Works Australia.
The RCS testing was introduced quickly after the disclosure of the MQ-28’s first three flights within the U.S., over the Level Mugu Sea Vary. It’s unclear when this testing was performed.
The MQ-28 Ghost Bat – Boeing Airpower Teaming System
Designed by Boeing Defence Australia for the RAAF as a multirole system able to working along with crewed plane, the Ghost Bat was initially often called the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS). The event began in 2013, with the prototype unveiled for the primary time in the course of 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 improvement concerned 55 Australian firms 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 current army plane to enrich and lengthen airborne missions.” The dimensions of a small, lightweight class fighter, with facet air intakes, cranked-kite wings and canted V-tails, the MQ-28 can fly for practically 3,200 km and “fly independently” with its AI.
Renders from Boeing have proven the Ghost Bat flying with assist and particular mission plane just like the E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C plane and the F-15EX. In response to 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, corresponding 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 presumably 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 function for high-value assist belongings just like the E-7A AEW&C plane or KC-30 aerial refuelers. It’s nonetheless not recognized if the unmanned plane is seen 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 car,” Ferguson stated.
The uncrewed plane reached some vital milestones within the final 12 months. Amongst these was the June 2025 check which noticed an E-7 Wedgetail controlling two MQ-28s in a mission in opposition to a simulated airborne goal.
In December 2025, Boeing disclosed the primary live-fire check 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 Pressure (RAAF).
The RAAF described it as “an illustration of a Collaborative Fight Plane (CCA) using an air-to-air weapon in opposition to an aerial goal in an operationally related situation.” It’s doubtless the Ghost Bat acted as an off-board weapons launch platform, leveraging sensor, detection, management and steering knowledge from the crewed platforms.
In Could 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.
Up to now, 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 performed.
Nonetheless, it was already recognized that at the very least one MQ-28 was at NAS Ventura County, because the plane was clearly seen in a video launched after the U.S. Secretary of Struggle Pete Hegseth to the set up in December 2025. It’s attainable, nonetheless, that two plane are presently there as two totally different plane could be seen within the December 2025 and Could 2026 movies.
