Boeing and Rheinmetall Pitch MQ-28 Ghost Bat for Accelerated German CCA Capability
Boeing and Rheinmetall are teaming up to offer Germany a mature MQ-28 Ghost Bat platform to accelerate development of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) capability. The proposed approach combines the existing uncrewed aircraft with German sensors, weapons, and mission software, with Rheinmetall establishing independent system integration in Germany.
The companies argue that using an existing aircraft would allow Germany to focus on integrating national technologies and developing operational concepts sooner, rather than starting from scratch. According to Boeing's Glen Ferguson, the MQ-28 is the first and only strike-fighter drone to have participated in multinational exercises, including the US-led Valiant Shield.
Boeing said that work would need to begin well before any planned operational capability is introduced, with Germany aiming to achieve a CCA capability by 2029. The proposed approach would use the Ghost Bat both as an aircraft and as a test environment for Germany's broader CCA development.
Rheinmetall plans to establish independent system integration for the MQ-28 in Germany as the first step, with software development, mission integration, and intellectual property remaining within the German industrial ecosystem. The company said that this would allow German technologies to be developed, tested, and integrated immediately on the MQ-28.