Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS) - MQ-28 Ghost Bat

Btw, do we know which engine is used?

Maybe the AE 3007, which is a used on RQ/MQ-4 and MQ-25 as well?
 
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Forest Green said:
litzj said:
https://jaesan-aero.blogspot.com/2022/10/dx-korea-2022.html

Korean-Air was selected as Korean-ver. of Loyal-Wingman
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What's this missile (larger one)?

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I don't recognize that missile. The 4 on the conformal mounts are Meteors, the big one I suspect is the Korean supersonic antiship missile, and the one on the folded wing section is an IRIS-T. If the big one isn't the antiship missile, it's probably the Korean high speed ARM.
 
Does anyone have a published capacity for the Ghost Bat? I'm guessing somewhere around 700-1400lbs, enough for 2-4 AMRAAMs.
 
Scott Kenny said:
Does anyone have a published capacity for the Ghost Bat? I'm guessing somewhere around 700-1400lbs, enough for 2-4 AMRAAMs.
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That's all I'm aware of... No IWB however :(
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The Boeing MQ-28 Airpower Teaming System shown during a low-speed runway taxi test. The MQ-28 is a new uncrewed aircraft that uses
artificial intelligence working as part of a smart team, along with existing military aircraft, to complement and extend airborne missions.
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Source: Air & Space Forces, March-April 2024
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Photo: Boeing
 
psnews.com.au

Boeing grows Australian industry team for Ghost Bat uncrewed combat aircraft | PS News

Boeing Defence Australia has announced the addition of more industry partners to its team that is developing a new uncrewed…
psnews.com.au

The ADF signed a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) development project arrangement with the US Air Force in March 2023, and it has been reported that two of Boeing’s ATS air vehicles have been sent to the US for evaluation, and may go on to form the basis of Boeing’s bid for the second phase of the US Air Force’s CCA program.
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www.flightglobal.com

Boeing’s big bet on Australia’s MQ-28

The Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat is a crucial part of the airframer's collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) strategy and stands to enhance Australia's position in the global defence aerospace industry.
www.flightglobal.com www.flightglobal.com


Boeing, for its part, says that the MQ-28 was not part of its offering for increment one, nor was a variant of the MQ-25 Stingray, which is being developed as an air-to-air refueller for the USN.

“We did not propose the MQ-28 or an MQ-25 derivative for increment one of this programme,” says Boeing. “We proposed another proprietary solution tailored to the US Air Force’s unique CCA phase one requirements.”
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The Block 2 will not have major airframe changes from the Block 1. Perhaps the main external change will be the removal of the Block 1’s dogtooth wing. Internally, the aircraft will see wiring modifications and other changes that will improve maintainability.
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Boeing has never disclosed the MQ-28’s engine, but there is speculation that it is powered by the Williams International FJ44 or Pratt & Whitney PW300. Ferguson declines to comment on the MQ-28’s engine but says the powerplant will not change in the Block 2. The MQ-28 may be armed in the future, but for now the focus is EW and ISR applications.
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So Boeing not bidding MQ-28 into Inc 1 would seem to indicate that it doesn't meet at least one of USAFs key requirements and so didn't stand a chance of winning. I wonder which one(s)?
 
I am guessing cost of purchase/ownership/both more than anything. The two changes mentioned point to simplified construction and maintenance.

ETA: another problem might have been where to put missiles. IIRC MQ-28 uses a nose mounted payload module which is probably nice for switching EW/ISR missions but a useless space for weapons. I have not seen any renders of armed MQ-28 and he is quoted as saying they still do not intend to arm it for now.
 
red admiral said:
So Boeing not bidding MQ-28 into Inc 1 would seem to indicate that it doesn't meet at least one of USAFs key requirements and so didn't stand a chance of winning. I wonder which one(s)?
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NIH is potentially a risk factor, even for a Boeing project.
 
raptor82 said:
www.flightglobal.com

Boeing’s big bet on Australia’s MQ-28

The Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat is a crucial part of the airframer's collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) strategy and stands to enhance Australia's position in the global defence aerospace industry.
www.flightglobal.com www.flightglobal.com
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The article says "Boeing Defence Australia has produced eight Block 1 MQ-28s" and "The Block 2 will not have major airframe changes from the Block 1"... So why build three Block 2 aircraft in addition? And what happens with the Block 1 airframes*. Burry them next to NH-90? ;)

Edit: *"So far, the small MQ-28 test fleet has flown 100h" ...eight aircraft!
 
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VTOLicious said:
The article says "Boeing Defence Australia has produced eight Block 1 MQ-28s" and "The Block 2 will not have major airframe changes from the Block 1"... So why build three Block 2 aircraft in addition? And what happens with the Block 1 airframes*. Burry them next to NH-90? ;)

Edit: *"So far, the small MQ-28 test fleet has flown 100h" ...eight aircraft!
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No 'major airframe changes' doesn't rule out Block 2 being operational (or operational capable) and Block 1 not. Take Typhoon, first three aircraft 'Development Aircraft', purely for flight trials, next 7 aircraft 'Instrumented Production Aircraft' that were only production representative when looked at from certain angles*, and never flew operationally. I wouldn't be surprised to see the operational Ghost Bat being Block 3, or later.

* 14 years between DA1 and IPA7!
 
DWG said:
NIH is potentially a risk factor, even for a Boeing project.
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That doesn't seem to be the factor as Boeing didn't even bid it? Or maybe you're suggesting that Boeing USA doesn't like Boeing AUS existing "product" and so chooses to bid a clean sheet aircraft design that just very similar to MQ-28? That would be very odd.

* I say "product" but the Block 1 and now 2 MQ-28s don't appear to be operationally capable?
 
red admiral said:
That doesn't seem to be the factor as Boeing didn't even bid it? Or maybe you're suggesting that Boeing USA doesn't like Boeing AUS existing "product" and so chooses to bid a clean sheet aircraft design that just very similar to MQ-28? That would be very odd.
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I'm suggesting Boeing HQ may have looked at Ghost Bat and decided "We could bid it, but do we really want to risk running into NIH and a product the other bidders will call "non-American", especially given the likely direction of government over the next four years. No, let's look at either something designed here in the States, or no-bidding."

Bear in mind that Boeing, and other defence primes, are becoming extremely risk averse given huge losses in existing fixed price contracts.
 
It seems more likely to me MQ-28 simply did not fill a requirement. NIH does not seem to stop them from considering it for Incr2, which makes me think perhaps it fell on the two expensive/too capable end of the spectrum like Lockmart apparently did IIRC.
 
I assume that Increment 1 was not supposed to be an EW/ISR bird.

So the Ghost Bat makes a good EW/ISR bird but a terrible "spear carrier".
 

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