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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has announced an additional $399 million investment to further develop the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, securing hundreds of Australian defence industry jobs.
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This funding commitment confirms that the government is now moving forward with the next stage of the program, including delivery of three Block 2 aircraft which have enhanced design and improved capabilities.
A part of this funding boost will enable a focus on developing sensor and mission payloads, an integrated combat system and autonomous systems.
Minister for Defence Industry, the Honourable Pat Conroy MP, welcomed this announcement, saying, “More than 200 Australian companies have already contributed to the MQ-28A program, including more than 50 small and medium enterprises within the supply chain. This project demonstrates that with the appropriate support from government, Australia’s defence industry can continue to be a world leader and a key source of jobs.”
The government’s additional funding secures more than 350 jobs across the nation and supports the ongoing work for over 200 suppliers involved with the MQ-28A Ghost Bat program.
“The prosperity and security of our nation and will always be a top priority for the Albanese government. That’s why giving our Air Force the critical capabilities it needs to protect Australians, and their interests, is paramount," Minister Conroy said.
Further development of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat comes after the government agreed with a Defence Strategic Review recommendation that options be developed for collaboration and technology sharing with the United States. In line with the government’s response, Defence signed a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) development project arrangement with the United States on 30 March 2023.
Scott Carpendale, vice-president and managing director of Boeing Defence Australia, welcomed the Albanese government’s commitment to the MQ-28A program, saying, “The new MQ-28 head agreement continues our partnership with the Commonwealth of Australia, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Australian industry in developing this important Collaborative Combat Aircraft capability for Australia.”
More than 70 per cent of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat delivery program is being directed towards Australian industry content, delivering substantial benefits to local companies and their highly skilled, Australian workforces.
“The latest agreement enables us to continue the developmental pathway of MQ-28 to prove the MQ-28 systems, including validating the mission system, payloads and operational requirements, which includes producing three Block 2 aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force,” Carpendale added.
Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat, also known as a Collaborative Combat Aircraft, is being developed in cooperation with Boeing Defence Australia. It is the first military combat aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.
First announced in 2019, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat is designed to provide a disruptive, “fighter like” performance with a range in excess of 2,000 nautical miles in a platform capable of integrating a suite of sensor packages onboard to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and electronic warfare.
