Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat Makes Farnborough Debut with Proven Capabilities

The Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat made its Farnborough debut on July 20, 2026, marking a significant milestone for the uncrewed combat aircraft. The aircraft was displayed statically in the US Department of Defense area alongside MBDA weaponry, but did not fly during the event.

Developed in Australia for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the MQ-28 has already demonstrated its capabilities with several notable achievements. In December 2025, it successfully fired a live radar-guided missile at an aerial target in a test campaign that took only seven months to complete.

This achievement is attributed to the aircraft's open architecture design, which allows for easier integration of new weapons and systems without reopening the entire design. This flexibility is crucial for a platform meant to be produced cheaply and updated constantly.

Boeing is pitching the MQ-28 as a mature solution compared to other drone wingman options available in the market. The company's managing director, Thom Breckenridge, emphasized that the platform's maturity sets it apart from competitors, along with its unique capability and development process.