Six world-leading "Aussie-born" drones will join the defence force as a war-fighting asset under a $1.4 billion boost.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has announced extra government funding would be pumped into Boeing's MQ-28A Ghost Bat, designed to serve as a "loyal wingman" to fighter jets in battle.
"The Ghost Bat turns a single fighter into a combat team," he said on Tuesday.
"It presents hundreds of eyes in the sky for our adversaries to deal with."
It is the first combat aircraft to be designed and made in Australia in 50 years, with the federal government pouring more than $2.3 billion into its development since 2019.
Mr Conroy described the "Aussie-born and made" drone as a world-leading capability and said the additional money would move the aircraft from testing and prototyping to production.
"It's not just that we're in the game, we are ahead of the game in terms of combat drone aircraft," he told reporters.
A Ghost Bat drone successfully fired an air-to-air missile on a target during "landmark" exercises on Monday, Mr Conroy added.
"When we talk about the future of aerial combat, when we talk about the future of drone warfare, the future is here and the future is right now in Australia," he said.
The government is seeking to export the uncrewed aircraft that was jointly developed between the air force and Boeing, with the defence minister flagging international interest.
Air Force chief Air Marshal Stephen Chappell said the drone would help protect crewed platforms while boosting their lethality.
"A real force multiplier ... in a way that we haven't previously had in the Royal Australian Air Force," he said.
Australia's "vision" is for a ratio of a minimum of at least three uncrewed aircraft to every one crewed combat jet.
