The MQ-28A GHOST BAT developed in Australia by Boeing and central to the future plans of the Royal Australian Air Force has made its debut in a major international exercise by taking part in VALIANT SHIELD 2026 earlier this month. Working closely with the US armed forces, the MQ-28 demonstrated that it can integrated with crewed platforms in a multinational setting, working as Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
The 10-day exercise involved units from the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand and saw various activities at sea, in the air, on land as well as in space and in the cyber domain. The GHOST BAT worked particularly with the US forces, notably flying alongside F-15EXs in the context of agile combat employment operations centered at Rota International Airport in the Northern Mariana islands.
The MQ-28A participation was, in fact, conducted through a US-led program with support from the Royal Australian Air Force and the involvement of various observers.
One particularly significant tactical activity saw the MQ-28A being serviced at a forward arming and refueling point, taking aboard fuel thanks to a USAF HC-130J COMBAT KING which landed and acted as tactical refueller. Operations were deliberately conducted from forward airfields, away from main operating bases.
The MQ-28A is in these days in the United Kingdom as well, showcased at the Farnborough Air Show. Notably, next to it sits an MBDA METEOR long range air to air missile. There’s a possibility we might hear more about plans for a METEOR firing from the GHOST BAT considering that, back in March, Pat Conroy, the Australian defence industry Minister, was quoted saying that such a trial is planned for this year.
Following AUKUS ministerial talks at the time, Minister Conroy said he didn’t have immediate expectations that the MQ-28 could be selected by the British armed forces directly as they were (and are) planning to develop the so called STORM FIGHTER in-house, but noted that cooperation on the drone was still on the cards, particularly around the planned METEOR firing.
Presumably, said firing would take place at the Hebrides. It is meant to make GHOST BAT more alluring not just to the UK but to other potential European users.
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