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German defence giant Rheinmetall AG has joined forces with Boeing Australia to offer the MQ-28 Ghost Bat as a ready-made solution for Germany’s push to field collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) by 2029.
The MQ-28 Ghost Bat, developed and built in Australia, has already completed more than 150 test flights and was originally designed for the Royal Australian Air Force and allied partners.
The uncrewed aircraft is designed to operate alongside crewed fighters, acting as a force multiplier in contested airspace. Its modular design and autonomous systems allow it to take on a wide range of roles, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike missions.
Under the agreement, Rheinmetall will act as the system integrator for the platform in Germany. The company will oversee its integration into current and future Bundeswehr command and weapons systems, while also adapting the aircraft to meet national requirements and supporting ongoing maintenance and logistics.
Rheinmetall chief executive Armin Papperger said the partnership would allow the MQ-28 to be tailored to Germany’s needs while strengthening Europe’s defence industrial base.
“As system integrator, we can deliver integration, operation and further development from a single source, while also building industrial capability in Germany and across Europe,” he said, adding the program could generate hundreds of millions of euros in revenue.
The partnership is expected to bolster sovereign capability in Germany by ensuring secure supply chains and strong local industry involvement.
A key feature of the MQ-28 is its open, modular architecture, which allows for rapid upgrades and ongoing capability growth. Rheinmetall will also help establish a dedicated in-country digital engineering environment, enabling German and Australian engineers to jointly develop, test and validate new software and hardware enhancements.
Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing Global, said the agreement reflected growing defence ties between Australia and Germany.
“This is more than a partnership between companies — it’s a partnership between two nations with a shared vision for integrating collaborative combat aircraft into their air forces,” he said.
The collaboration is expected to accelerate delivery timelines for Germany, while steadily increasing local industrial input into the Australian-developed platform.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
