The Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat unmanned combat aerial vehicles have become a part of Indo-Australian defence talks focusing on Collaborative Combat Aircraft technology and the development of next-generation autonomous combat aircraft, a report has claimed.
Air Vice Marshal Sanjeev Taliyan being photographed alongside the Deputy Chief of the Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Steven Pesce, in front of a Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat has triggered talks in defence analyst circles, as the Indian Air Force has been showing an increased interest in AI fighter drone programmes.
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The development comes at a time when Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu was seen with the Bayraktar Kızılelma during his official visit to Türkiye—a staunch defence ally of Islamabad. The Bayraktar Kızılelma is a single-engine, stealth, artificial intelligence-capable unmanned multirole fighter. As per reports, it is possible that the IAF could induct the Ghost Bats to counter these Turkish UCAVs.
Understanding the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat
These unmanned aerial vehicles are designed as force-multiplier aircraft capable of flying alongside crewed fighter jets, as well as performing autonomous missions independently using artificial intelligence. According to Boeing, it is a "unique autonomous capability designed to complement the find, fix, track, and target elements of air combat with autonomous behaviours and reduced risk to crewed platforms."
More than 35 Australian companies contributed to the Ghost Bat program initially. That number has now doubled, official information shows. It is the first military combat aircraft to be designed, engineered, and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.
Each of these craft is 38 feet (11.7 metres) long, 6.5 feet (2.0 metres) high, and has a wingspan of 24 feet (7.3 metres). It weighs 7,000 pounds (3,175 kilograms) and can travel for more than 2,000 nautical miles without needing to stop. They fly at fighter-compatible speeds of up to Mach 0.9, and operate at altitudes above 40,000 feet (12,192 metres).
The first flight of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat was achieved in February 2021. By March 2025, the prototype aircraft had flown more than 100 test flights, underpinned by over 20,000 hours of digital testing. The uncrewed aircraft was formerly known as the Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS). It was officially named the MQ-28A Ghost Bat in March 2022; however, the name remains ATS for global customers.
How advanced are the MQ-28 Ghost Bats?
Its capability to work alongside manned fighter jets as a "loyal wingman" is what makes this aerial vehicle stand out. They can operate alongside fourth and fifth-generation Air Force jets, besides next-generation stealthy fighters.
In December 2025, the RAAF successfully executed a force-integrated air-to-air autonomous weapon engagement from an MQ-28 Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
They come with sensor packages allowing them to carry out tactical early warning and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Apart from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the US, the UK, and Germany are believed to have at least tried operating them.
"The payload capacity of around 1,500 kilograms also provides mission flexibility involving reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and high-precision strikes. The integration of MURAD's AESA radar significantly improves situational awareness capabilities and target effectiveness in high-risk operational environments," Defence Security Asia said about the Ghost Bat.
"Internal weapons storage space increases operational survivability, as stealth drone architecture continues to be a critical component in air defence penetration concepts," it added.