The MQ-28 Ghost Bat just made its US debut — not in a hangar, not at an airshow, but in the air. Boeing confirmed on 27 May 2026 that its Australian-built autonomous combat drone has completed three operational flights over the Point Mugu Sea Range at US Naval Base Ventura County in California.

It is the first time the Ghost Bat has flown outside Australia. And the choice of venue — a US Navy range, not an Air Force test site — telegraphs exactly where Boeing thinks the buyers are.

From Brisbane to the Pacific Coast

The Ghost Bat is Boeing’s flagship Collaborative Combat Aircraft — a 38-foot, jet-powered drone designed to fly alongside crewed fighters, soaking up tasks like jamming, sensing and even decoy work. The aircraft was developed entirely in Australia, the first combat jet designed and built in that country since the Second World War.

Until this month it had only ever flown inside Australian airspace. Boeing flew at least one airframe across the Pacific aboard a transport, then spent weeks at Point Mugu validating that the aircraft could be deployed, flown and re-tasked from an allied base — a key Boeing pitch for any future export customer.

Three Flights, Three Demonstrations

The three sorties were not just “show the flag” missions. Each one targeted a specific capability Boeing needs to prove to win serious CCA contracts:

Flight one verified autonomous flight controls in the new airspace environment. Flight two tested the aircraft’s ability to plug into a foreign command-and-control network — meaning the same Ghost Bat that takes off from Australia can be commanded by US operators at Point Mugu. Flight three integrated a payload (Boeing has not specified which one) to demonstrate that the modular nose can be swapped for sensor packs, electronic-warfare suites or weapons in a matter of hours.

A Pacific Sales Pitch in Three Acts

The Pentagon’s CCA programme — separate, US-built drones from Anduril and General Atomics — is the headline competition. But the Ghost Bat has one big advantage: it already flies. Boeing has more than ten airframes in the test fleet, hundreds of hours, and a production line ready to scale.

The Point Mugu deployment also strengthens Boeing’s pitch to other Indo-Pacific customers. Japan, South Korea and Singapore have all expressed interest. By proving the Ghost Bat can be picked up, dropped onto a foreign base and turned around quickly, Boeing is targeting exactly the operational profile those air forces care about.

If the next batch of flights involves a Super Hornet or F-35 in formation, the message will be unmistakable: the Ghost Bat is ready for prime time.

Sources: Boeing press release, The Aviationist, The War Zone, FlightGlobal.