Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat Makes Farnborough Debut

The Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat made its debut at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 20, 2026, after a 17,000-kilometer journey from Australia. The uncrewed combat aircraft was displayed statically in the US Department of Defense area alongside MBDA weaponry, but did not fly.

The MQ-28 is developed for the Royal Australian Air Force and has been flying since 2021. It made its European debut at ILA Berlin in June 2026, and first flew outside Australia at Point Mugu, California, in May 2026.

Boeing is pitching the Ghost Bat hard to British customers, emphasizing its maturity compared to other competitors. The aircraft has already done things that few others in its category can say, including flying for five years, firing a live radar-guided missile at a real target, and operating from a foreign country.

Boeing's managing director, Thom Breckenridge, noted the platform's unique capability and development process. 'The maturity of the platform relative to competitors sets it apart,' he said.