Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Offers Germany a Fast Track to Combat Drone Capability

Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat Offers Germany a Fast Track to Combat Drone Capability

Image: Rheinmetall

Boeing is positioning its MQ-28 Ghost Bat as the fastest route for Germany to field a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) fleet, as per a recent press statement. Air forces worldwide are shifting from concept work to fielding these strike-fighter drones, and Berlin has set its sights on the same capability.

The MQ-28 already stands apart from rival programmes. Flight tests confirm it meets German requirements for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. It remains the only strike-fighter drone to have flown in multinational exercises, including the US-led Exercise Valiant Shield.

Glen Ferguson, Global Director of the MQ-28 programme at Boeing Defense Australia, commented that many CCA programmes remain stuck in concept or early testing. He added that reaching a German capability by 2029 demands immediate work on tactics, training and force structure.

Rheinmetall is establishing independent system integration for the MQ-28 in Germany, keeping software development and intellectual property within the domestic industrial base. Mike Schmidt, CEO of Rheinmetall’s Business Unit Air, Uncrewed and Space, commented that Germany need not choose between speed and independence. He added that the MQ-28 allows the country to skip a lengthy new-aircraft development phase entirely.

Boeing is also building a wider industrial ecosystem with Rohde & Schwarz, Diehl Defence and HENSOLDT to support long-term German integration work.

Ferguson noted the platform’s modular architecture allows rapid adaptation to new mission sets, including air-to-ground roles, without requiring a retrofit. Continuous development draws on flight test data and insights from the Royal Australian Air Force programme, supported by a digital twin of the aircraft.

Learn more on Rheinmetall’s website

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