The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Boeing achieved a historic milestone by successfully completing, for the first time, an autonomous air-to-air launch of an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile from an MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the new collaborative combat aircraft designed to operate alongside crewed platforms.
The exercise consisted of an integrated mission in which an MQ-28 Ghost Bat operated in conjunction with an E-7A Wedgetail and an F/A-18F Super Hornet to intercept and destroy a “fighter-class” aerial target. Each platform took off from different locations and, once airborne, control of the MQ-28 was transferred to an operator aboard the E-7A, who was responsible for overseeing safety and the weapon authorization process.
After identifying and tracking the target, the F/A-18F shared targeting data with the other aircraft. The MQ-28 adjusted its position and received authorization from the E-7A to execute the shot, destroying the target with a Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.
“This is the first time an autonomous aircraft has completed an air-to-air engagement with an AIM-120 missile, establishing the MQ-28 as a mature CCA with combat capability,” said Amy List, Managing Director of Boeing Defence Australia. According to the executive, the achievement demonstrates the potential of collaborative platforms to increase operational mass, improve data flow in combat, and reduce risk to human aircrews.
Colin Miller, Vice President and General Manager of Phantom Works—the advanced research division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security—stated: “This exercise demonstrates the maturity and sophistication of Boeing’s mission autonomy solution, which is based on open standards and government architectures and is capable of integrating with fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation aircraft.” He added that the system was integrated, tested, and employed in an operational scenario in less than eight months.
The trial was part of a joint effort involving Boeing, the RAAF, the United States Air Force, and several industry partners.
Background on the MQ-28 Ghost Bat program
The successful launch builds on previous demonstrations conducted during Capability Demonstration 2025, where the RAAF and Boeing Defence Australia validated the operational effectiveness of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat four months ahead of schedule. The UCAV is designed to operate as a CCA, providing support in reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike missions, with a range exceeding 3,700 kilometers.
The program is advancing in parallel with local production in Toowoomba, Queensland. There, Boeing has established a 9,000-square-foot facility equipped for carbon-fiber composite manufacturing, advanced robotic assembly, and final testing. The initial contract, signed in February 2024, covers 13 Block II units valued at US$400 million, with the first three already in production. The assembly line is also intended to position the MQ-28 as an export product for allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
With this latest exercise, Australia continues to consolidate an integrated and technologically advanced air force, aligned with its National Defence Strategy and oriented toward operating in an increasingly demanding strategic environment.
Images provided by the Australian Department of Defence.
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