Air Data News
• Ricardo Meier
Boeing and Rheinmetall are proposing Australia-developed MQ-28 Ghost Bat as an interim platform for Germany’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort, arguing the unmanned aircraft could help the Luftwaffe develop operational concepts and capabilities by 2029—years before a dedicated European system becomes available.
UAV Development & Drone Programs
Latest source-backed stories
Boeing and Rheinmetall are proposing Australia-developed MQ-28 Ghost Bat as an interim platform for Germany’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort, arguing the unmanned aircraft could help the Luftwaffe develop operational concepts and capabilities by 2029—years before a dedicated European system becomes available.
The first production YFQ-44A and the start of FQ-42A manufacturing show how rapidly the U.S. Air Force is moving collaborative combat aircraft from concept toward fielding. The effort reflects a wartime-priority approach to deploying new unmanned combat-aircraft capabilities.
Two drones were spotted above a military base in western Germany, authorities said, two days after an explosive-laden drone was found near a runway at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The incidents raise immediate security concerns for military installations and airport operations, although authorities have not established a connection between them.
A drone entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania and exploded in a sunflower field near Kardam, about 1 kilometer from a compressor station on the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. Bulgaria said an initial debris assessment indicated a model commonly used by Ukraine; there were no casualties or infrastructure damage.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt is the first aircraft carrier equipped with a drone control center ready to support MQ-25 Stingray operations. Despite the ship’s readiness, the Navy does not expect to begin operational MQ-25 flying until 2029, years behind schedule.
A drone reportedly carrying explosives was widely believed to have entered Leipzig Airport in Germany, raising concerns about the vulnerability of European airport operations to hostile unmanned aircraft and the potential for disruption or physical harm at critical civil aviation infrastructure.
The U.S. Air Force and industry partners demonstrated a widening set of capabilities, from a YFQ-44A firing an AIM-120 and CCA prototypes flying with manned aircraft to AI-enabled P-8A–MQ-4C interoperability. Separately, a robot-formed nose panel returned a storm-damaged C-17 to service.
The Defense Department is considering an $820 million loan to help a drone company mass-produce components, potentially using the expanded authority of the Office of Strategic Capital. The OSC’s lending capacity has grown from just under $1 billion to more than $210 billion under the Trump administration.
Create a free account to see more recent UAV Development & Drone Programs stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
The drones section on Hype offers a comprehensive look at the rapidly evolving world of unmanned aerial vehicles. Our expert analysis covers the latest advancements in drone technology, regulatory changes, and the expanding use of drones across industries, from commercial delivery to environmental monitoring.
