Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) shares are trading relatively flat in the premarket session on Tuesday.
The company and the Royal Australian Air Force successfully conducted a live-fire mission using the autonomous combat drone MQ-28 Ghost Bat.
The team downed a drone target in a landmark air-to-air strike that could reshape modern combat operations.
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The timing: Dec. 9 at Woomera, Australia — the site where the mission unfolded. The purpose was to test collaboration between uncrewed and crewed aircraft in real combat conditions.
The historic engagement saw the MQ-28 operate alongside a RAAF E-7A Wedgetail and an F/A-18F Super Hornet, all launching from different bases.
The joint strike mission used an AIM-120 missile to destroy a fighter-class drone target.
Autonomous Strike, Human Oversight
During the mission, the E-7A crew assumed command of the Ghost Bat. The F/A-18F provided sensor coverage and target tracking.
Once the target locked, the MQ-28 repositioned itself, received engagement clearance, and successfully fired the missile.
“This is the first time an autonomous aircraft has completed an air-to-air weapon engagement with an AIM-120 missile,” said Amy List, managing director at Boeing Defence Australia.
She added the mission highlights how collaborative combat aircraft can boost mission effectiveness, data sharing, and reduce risk to human pilots.
What Comes Next
According to Colin Miller, vice president at Boeing’s Phantom Works division, the success proves the company’s mission-autonomy infrastructure works as intended.
The test underscores that CCAs like the MQ-28 can integrate with modern and future-generation aircraft under open system standards.
Context & Background
Boeing and the RAAF began testing the MQ-28’s core capabilities — autonomous flight, target detection, and data sharing — earlier this year under Capability Demonstration 2025.
The program met its milestones months ahead of schedule and cleared the way for this first live-fire test. The Ghost Bat uses a modular payload design, enabling rapid configuration for various mission types.
Implications For Future Air Combat
With this mission, the MQ-28 could become a cornerstone of manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T).
Air forces may soon deploy autonomous drones to complement crewed jets on strike, surveillance or escort missions — expanding combat mass while reducing human risk.
BA Price Action: Boeing shares are trading lower by 0.05% to $206.16 at last check Tuesday.
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