Leonardo Joins Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat Programme as Official Partner
At the Farnborough Airshow in July 2026, Boeing officially confirmed that Italy's Leonardo has joined as an official partner on the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, a loyal wingman drone designed to fly alongside crewed fighters.
The partnership marks a significant development for the European market, which is showing increased interest in combat drones. Leonardo has been working with the programme for eight years and has contributed electronic systems.
In addition to Leonardo, Eton, a company that builds payload launch systems, and Hensoldt, a German company, have also joined as partners on the project.
Glen Ferguson, MQ-28 Program Global Director at Boeing, emphasized the importance of building a library of capability inside partner companies. This will enable them to quickly respond to future customer requirements without years of development time.