Rheinmetall Teams With Boeing Australia to Offer MQ-28 ‘Ghost Bat’ to Germany

Overview

• A partnership announced Tuesday between Rheinmetall and Boeing Australia puts the MQ-28 Ghost Bat on offer to the Bundeswehr as Germany pursues initial fielding in 2029.
• German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the purchase is under consideration and pledged a decision as soon as possible.
• Rheinmetall would act as system manager in Germany, handling integration with national command and weapons systems, in-country maintenance, and a new digital engineering hub, with revenue potential in the hundreds of millions of euros.
• The Ghost Bat, a so‑called loyal wingman that flies alongside crewed jets to extend sensors and carry weapons, faces rivals including an Airbus‑run XQ‑58A Valkyrie program in Germany and a proposal from General Atomics.
• The drone has moved beyond early trials, including a December 2025 live AIM‑120 AMRAAM shot and fresh Australian funding for Block 2 aircraft and Block 3 upgrades such as internal weapon bays and a larger wing.