Boost in Funding for Drone Project as Australian Defence Force Explores Uncrewed Technology

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has recently announced a substantial increase in funding for the MQ-28A Ghost Bat drone project, a domestically designed combat drone. This funding injection, expected to amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, comes as the ADF seeks to keep pace with the rapid advancements in lethal unmanned technology seen around the world.

Developed by Boeing for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the Ghost Bat drone, initially introduced in 2019 as the Loyal Wingman, is equipped with artificial intelligence that facilitates autonomous targeting. The primary objective of this technology is to safeguard and provide support to traditional military assets such as the F-35 in contested environments.

While the introduction of uncrewed systems has faced resistance from fighter pilots within the RAAF, senior leaders maintain that this technology will play an increasingly crucial role in modern warfare. RAAF Air Commodore Ross Bender emphasises the significance of uncrewed systems in military planning for a large maritime nation like Australia, particularly given its unique geographical challenges.

During an address to a military audience in the United States, Air Commodore Bender highlighted the vital role of uncrewed systems in extending the reach and persistence of military operations across vast regions. Additionally, Air Commodore Bender underscored the increasing operational costs and complexity of traditional piloted surveillance aircraft, making the integration of uncrewed systems all the more imperative.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy is expected to outline a further substantial investment in the MQ-28A Ghost Bat program, marking the first military combat aircraft to be entirely designed, developed, and manufactured in Australia in over fifty years. This next-generation Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) involves the collaboration of 55 Australian companies and has already received significant public funding amounting to $600 million.

Moreover, the government recently prioritised the MQ-28A program for collaborative development with the United States, allowing for easier sharing of classified information between Australia and its closest military ally. The drone conducted its first secretive test flight at Woomera two years ago and the ABC has been able to obtain recent vision of a training exercise involving the aircraft at an undisclosed location in Australia.

These advancements mark an important milestone for the Australian Defence Force as it seeks to embrace new uncrewed technology and bolster its capabilities in modern warfare. The funding boost for the MQ-28A Ghost Bat program represents a significant investment in Australia’s defence capabilities and provides a glimpse into the exciting future of unmanned aerial combat systems.