Rheinmetall and Boeing are accelerating Germany’s path to CCA
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Leading air forces around the world are beginning to implement Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), also known as strike-fighter drones for air-to-ground operations. This progression represents a shift from conceptual discussions to tangible military capabilities, and the German armed forces are also advancing similar plans.
Currently, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat stands as a mature platform that facilitates this rapid capability enhancement. Previous flight tests indicate that the MQ-28 meets the operational demands of the German forces for both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions.
The advanced maturity of the MQ-28 enables Germany to rapidly establish sovereign capabilities, including the integration of German sensors, weapons, and mission software. Boeing continues to invest in the development of the MQ-28, particularly enhancing its air-to-ground functionalities. To expedite the development of CCA capabilities in Germany, Rheinmetall has taken on the role of system integrator.
A key advantage of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat is its high level of maturity; it stands out as the first and only strike-fighter drone to have participated in multinational exercises, such as the US military’s Exercise Valiant Shield. Glen Ferguson, Boeing Defense Australia’s Global Director of the MQ-28 program, stated, “While many CCA programs worldwide are still in the concept, definition or early test phase, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat has already gone through these essential development steps.”
The MQ-28 also provides the German Air Force with a practical development and test environment to refine procedures and tactics for the collaboration of manned and unmanned aircraft. Ferguson underscored the urgency of this initiative, noting: “If the goal is to achieve such a capability by 2029, this work must begin today with the development of tactics, training, definition of force structure and the integration of sovereign technologies.”
In collaboration with Rheinmetall, as well as Rohde & Schwarz, Diehl Defence, and HENSOLDT, Boeing is actively creating an industrial ecosystem that will empower Germany to independently develop and integrate necessary capabilities in the long run.
Rheinmetall is initiating this effort by establishing an independent system integration framework for the MQ-28 in Germany. Mike Schmidt, CEO of the Business Unit Air, Uncrewed and Space, remarked, “Germany does not have to choose between speed and independence. We offer a way to achieve both at the same time. The MQ-28 enables us to bypass the lengthy development phase of a new aircraft and go directly to the decisive task: making the capabilities of unmanned combat air systems available to the German Air Force.”
This establishment of independent system integration also signifies a substantial investment in the German defense industry. The development of software, mission integration, and the retention of intellectual property will remain within the local industrial ecosystem.
This strategic focus allows for the immediate development, testing, and integration of national capabilities on the MQ-28. Future CCA platforms will leverage the lessons learned from these processes. The digital twin approach ensures that the MQ-28 is continuously enhanced, supported by extensive flight test data and insights gained from collaborations with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
Ferguson emphasized the adaptability of the MQ-28, stating, “The MQ-28 Ghost Bat has been designed from the outset as an extremely adaptable platform. Experiences gathered in operational use to date show that the MQ-28’s architecture can be quickly adapted to new mission requirements, including air-to-ground capabilities. This is not about a retrofit, but about using a modular design that is conceived from the ground up for continuous adaptations.”
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