Australia has ordered six operational Ghost Bat drones for A$1.4 billion ($930 million) after the unmanned aircraft successfully fired an air-to-air missile at an aerial target, marking a major step in the country’s military modernization.
The Weapons Test
The MQ-28A Ghost Bat fired an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile and destroyed a drone target during tests at the Woomera Range Complex in South Australia. The test demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to autonomously engage aerial threats.
Defense Minister Richard Marles said the successful test showed the Ghost Bat’s “growing potential to deliver an operational capability for the Royal Australian Air Force.”
Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force conducted the test in what officials called a “tactically relevant scenario,” proving the drone could complete the full air combat chain from finding targets to engaging them with weapons.
The Contract
Australia announced the A$1.4 billion contract with Boeing Defence Australia on December 9, 2025, for six operational Ghost Bat aircraft. The purchase represents the first operational order for the drone after years of prototype testing.
The Ghost Bat is the first military aircraft designed and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years. The aircraft uses artificial intelligence to operate autonomously alongside crewed fighters like the F-35, F/A-18 Super Hornet, and E-7A Wedgetail.
With a range exceeding 3,700 kilometers, the Ghost Bat can conduct long-range surveillance and strike missions while protecting human pilots from entering dangerous airspace.
US-Australia Defense Talks
The announcement coincided with annual defense talks between Australian and US officials in Washington. Defense Minister Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The two countries agreed to joint production and maintenance of hypersonic cruise missiles in Australia. The talks also covered plans for increased rotations of US bomber aircraft and the pre-positioning of US military equipment in northern Australia.
Marles told reporters that infrastructure would be built in Australia’s north to support “fighter planes, bombers and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.”
Broader Drone Investment
The Ghost Bat purchase is part of Australia’s A$10 billion investment in drones over the next decade. In October 2025, Australia announced it would spend A$1.7 billion on Ghost Shark autonomous undersea vehicles.
The Australian Defence Force wants to incorporate autonomous technology to defend a vast coastline and up to 3 million square kilometers of northern ocean. With a shrinking population, unmanned systems offer a way to maintain military capability without requiring large numbers of personnel.
Eight Ghost Bat prototype aircraft have undergone extensive testing since the program began. Earlier tests validated the aircraft’s ability to autonomously find, track, and target threats—capabilities that culminated in the successful missile test.
Australia’s order for six operational Ghost Bats marks the transition from prototype to combat-ready system. The successful weapons test and deepening defense ties with the United States signal Australia’s commitment to fielding advanced autonomous capabilities as regional tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific.
