– 25% larger wing extends mission reach and increases warehouse capacity
BERLIN, GERMANY June 10, 2026 –Boeing [NYSE: BA] unveiled the expanded combat capabilities of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat at the ILA Berlin Air Show in Germany. New features within the MQ-28 technology roadmap further enhance the platform’s flexibility, reach and capability for global customers.
Improvements include an increased wingspan, allowing the MQ-28 to carry an additional 2,000 pounds of fuel, supplies and mission payloads. It can also be equipped to internally carry two AMRAAM missiles or four small diameter bombs (SDB).
“That additional capability gives operators freedom to balance payload and endurance to shape the mission at hand, whether that means carrying additional fuel for longer-range operations, increasing weapons carry, or any combination of the two,” said Glen Ferguson, global MQ-28 program manager.
“These features, developed in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force, will be progressively rolled out to the fleet through a spiral upgrade program and made available to interested allied countries.”
Other new capabilities of the MQ-28 include:
- Major software development updates that comply with government reference architecture: Open standards allow operators to tailor weapons, payloads, command and control, and mission autonomy to meet their operational requirements.
- Enhanced and Missioned Modular Nose: Provides enhanced payload configuration options and supports the insertion of third-party capabilities.
- Introduction of Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communication links, allowing the MQ-28 custodian to operate from a manned aircraft, ground station or naval vessel at unlimited standoff distances.
- Two internal weapon stations with capacity for one AMRAAM missile or two SDBs on each side, plus provision for three external weapon stations, providing mission flexibility for combat operations.
“The inclusion of features like the BLOS capability is a direct result of our learnings to date along with feedback from the Air Force as they understand more about the role and integration of CCAs in joint force operations,” Ferguson said.
“The advanced maturity of the MQ-28 systems is what allows us to continually adapt to the changing operating environment and minimize risk as we transition to operations,” said Amy List, vice president and general manager, Boeing Defense Australia.
“Combined with the MQ-28’s confirmed low observability characteristics and survivability improvements, these capability enhancements support more flexible mission concepts and further enable Defense customers to spread operational risk.”
They improve interchangeability and interoperability with Boeing and non-Boeing platforms for allied forces and provide operators with a highly configurable and mission-adaptable solution that can be tailored to meet their sovereign operational needs.
Key statistics
- Maximum takeoff weight: increased from 10,000 lb to 12,000 lb (one ton)
- Wing 25% percent larger
- Payload: >4500 lb
- Internal Storage Capacity: 2 x AMRAAM or 4 x SDB (plus option for three external weapon stations if required)
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Contact
Melanie from Git
Boeing Australia Communications
melanie.degit@boeing.com
Boeing Media Relations
media@boeing.com
