Boeing unveils Ghost Bat autonomous combat drone at Farnborough airshow

Boeing displayed its MQ‑28 Ghost Bat autonomous combat drone at the Farnborough Airshow, marking the aircraft's first public appearance in Europe. The unmanned fighter is designed to fly alongside manned jets, operating at altitudes up to 12,000 metres, speeds of Mach 0.9 and ranges of around 3,700 kilometres. It can carry two AMRAAM missiles, four small bombs or up to 900 kg of additional payload.

Boeing promoted the Ghost Bat as a lower‑cost alternative to traditional fighter aircraft, claiming a unit price roughly ten times cheaper than a crewed jet and targeting a market where the U.S. Air Force hopes to procure aircraft at a third of the cost of an F‑35. The company highlighted its recent operational tests, including participation in a multinational exercise and a live‑fire trial. The showcase came as other U.S. firms such as General Atomics and Anduril presented competing designs, underscoring a growing race to capture a multibillion‑dollar defence market that could eventually see hundreds of units built each year.