Rheinmetall is establishing an independent system integration hub in Germany for Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat, marking a major step towards developing sovereign collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) for the German Air Force.
The move aims to accelerate the introduction of uncrewed aircraft into Germany’s force structure while retaining critical technology and intellectual property locally.
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According to Rheinmetall, this first phase of the programme will focus on adapting the MQ-28 platform to accommodate German-developed sensors, weapons, and mission software.
The company stated that the initiative will allow national defence industry capabilities to be tested and integrated directly onto the MQ-28, thereby shortening the timeframe for operational deployment.
This development follows the formation of a strategic partnership between Rheinmetall and Boeing Australia to propose the MQ-28 Ghost Bat as a ready solution for the German Armed Forces’ (Bundeswehr) planned acquisition of CCA in Germany by 2029.
The MQ-28 Ghost Bat platform has a “high level of maturity,” Rheinmetall said, noting its prior participation in multinational military exercises such as Exercise Valiant Shield with US forces.
Boeing Defence Australia MQ-28 programme global director Glen Ferguson said: “While many CCA programmes worldwide are still in the concept, definition or early test phase, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat has already gone through these essential development steps.”
Furthermore, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat is claimed to offer the German Air Force a “realistic development and test environment” to further develop procedures and tactics for cooperation between crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
The integration project is being coordinated with other German defence technology firms, including Rohde & Schwarz, Diehl Defence, and HENSOLDT, to create an industrial network supporting the MQ-28’s deployment in Germany.
Setting up independent system integration also serves as an investment in the German defence industry, ensuring that software development, mission integration, and intellectual property are retained within the national industrial sector.
This approach enables domestic capabilities to be developed, tested, and integrated directly onto the MQ-28 platform.
Rheinmetall Air, Uncrewed and Space, business unit CEO Mike Schmidt said: “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.”
