Boeing and Rheinmetall partner to advance German drone capabilities

Boeing and Rheinmetall are collaborating to advance Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) capabilities for the German armed forces. The partnership focuses on utilizing the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, a mature strike-fighter drone platform, to accelerate Germany’s transition from the concept phase to practical military application.

Rheinmetall will serve as the system integrator, facilitating the integration of sovereign German sensors, weapons, and mission software into the MQ-28 platform. This approach aims to allow Germany to build independent capabilities while maintaining development speed. The MQ-28 is intended to serve as a testing environment for the German Air Force to develop tactics for cooperation between manned and unmanned aircraft.

The companies are building an industrial ecosystem in Germany involving partners such as Rohde & Schwarz, Diehl Defence, and HENSOLDT. The stated goal is to establish these advanced unmanned combat capabilities by 2029.