Video: Boeing unveils branding for MQ-28A Ghost Bat

The blue and white typeface is revealed in a 40-second video, which you can see below, that shows the aircraft take-off, land and retract its landing gear.

Ghost Bat, first unveiled to the world in May 2020, is the first military aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.

It uses AI to help both manned and unmanned aircraft in mid-air, hence its previous Australian project name, Loyal Wingman.

Boeing said in a statement released on Monday morning that the name was chosen because it is “an Australian native mammal known for teaming together in a pack to detect and hunt”.

The animal itself is native to Australia and is reported to be found north of 29°S in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland.

“The introduction of the new popular name is a rare and special moment in aviation history for our RAAF partners and industry team of over 35 Australian suppliers,” said Glen Ferguson, Boeing’s director of the Airpower Teaming System.

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Boeing added in an update that during 2022, the development program will accelerate with a focus on sensor and missionisation capabilities.

The planemaker has partnered with the RAAF in order to create Ghost Bat, which measures 11.7 metres long, has a range of 2,000 nautical miles and can deliver fighter-like performance, while also offering intelligence capabilities.

The drones are designed to leverage artificial intelligence to fly independently or in support of manned aircraft while maintaining a safe distance between other jets.

The Australian government initially ordered three, but has since doubled the size of the fleet, following the Loyal Wingman’s first successful flight in February 2021.

In November, Boeing announced that two Ghost Bat prototypes completed separate test flights in South Australia’s Woomera Range Complex, in the biggest milestone yet for the program.

So far, in excess of 35 local companies have worked on the program such as Whitehorse and Form 2000 – two Australian SMEs that partnered on the manufacture build-to-print components of the aircraft. Other companies include Ferra Engineering, AME Systems, Allied Data Systems and Microelectronic Technologies.