Australia to sign contract with Boeing for initial six ‘Ghost Bat’ defence drones, media report says
SYDNEY, Dec 8 (Reuters) – Australia is expected to announce on Tuesday it will sign a A$1 billion ($663.30 million) contract with Boeing Australia to bring the Ghost Bat aerial drone into production and buy the first six of its collaborative fighter jets, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Australia’s defense force has previously said the Ghost Bat, or MQ-28A, a developmental aircraft designed by Boeing Australia, is the first military aircraft designed in Australia in more than 50 years.
The announcement coincides with talks in Washington between Australian and US defense and foreign ministers as the US pressures its Indo-Pacific ally to increase defense spending.
The Ghost Bat is expected to have a range of more than 3,700 kilometers and is designed to fly in partnership with crewed Air Force platforms.
Australia said in October it would spend A$1.7 billion ($1.1 billion) on a fleet of “Ghost Shark” autonomous undersea vehicles developed by the defense force and US startup Anduril Industries.
Australia’s defense force has previously said it wants to incorporate autonomous technology to defend a vast coastline and up to 3 million square kilometers (1.2 million square miles) of the northern ocean.
($1 = 1.5076 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
