- More Than 25% Larger Wing Expands Mission Range and Boosts Stores Capacity
- Beyond Line of Sight Capabilities Increase Command and Control Flexibility
- Internal Weapons Stations Increase Capacity and Lethality
Boeing unveiled extended combat capabilities of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat at the ILA Berlin Air Show in Germany. The new features within the MQ-28 technology roadmap further enhance the platform’s flexibility, range and capacity for global customers.
The enhancements include an increased wingspan, which allows the MQ-28 to carry an additional 2,000 pounds of fuel, stores and mission payloads. It can also be provisioned to carry two AMRAAM missiles or four small diameter bombs (SDBs) internally.
Glen Ferguson, MQ-28 global programme director, said:That additional capacity gives operators freedom to balance payload and endurance to configure for the mission at hand, whether that means carrying extra fuel for longer-range operations, increasing weapons carriage or any combination of both.”
“These features, developed in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force, will be progressively released to the fleet through a spiral upgrade programme, and are available to interested allied countries”.
Other new MQ-28 capabilities include:
- Significant software development upgrades compliant with Government Reference Architecture – open standards enable operators to tailor weapons, payloads, command and control, and mission autonomy to suit their operational requirements.
- Upgraded modular, missionised nose – provides enhanced payload configuration options and supports insertion of third-party capability.
- Introduction of Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communication links – enabling the MQ-28 custodian to operate from a crewed aircraft, ground station or Naval vessel at unlimited standoff distances.
- Two internal weapons stations with capacity for one AMRAAM missile or two SDBs each side, plus provision for three external weapons stations – providing mission flexibility for combat operations.
“Inclusion of features such as BLOS capability are a direct result of our learnings to date along with feedback from Air Forces as they understand more about the role and integration of CCAs into joint force operations”, said Ferguson.
“The advanced maturity of the MQ-28 systems is what allows us to continually adapt to the changing operational environment and minimise the risk as we transition to operations”, said Amy List, vice president and managing director of Boeing Defence Australia.
“Combined with the MQ-28’s confirmed low observability characteristics, and survivability upgrades, these capability enhancements support more flexible mission concepts and further allow Defence customers to distribute operational risk”.
They improve interchangeability and interoperability with Boeing and non-Boeing platforms for allied forces and give operators a highly configurable, mission-adaptable solution that can be tailored to meet their sovereign operational needs.
Key Statistics
- Maximum take-off weight – increased from 10,000 lb to 12,000 lb (one ton)
- 25% larger wing
- Useful load – >4,500lb
- Internal stores capacity – 2 x AMRAAM or 4 x SDB (plus option for three external weapon stations if needed)
