Boeing said the flight marked the most advanced use of the platform to date. “This is the first time an autonomous aircraft has completed an air-to-air weapon engagement with an AIM-120 missile, establishing the MQ-28 as a mature combat capable CCA,” said Amy List, managing director of Boeing Defence Australia.
She added that the result underscored the benefits of dedicated uncrewed platforms. “This latest achievement proves the advantage specialized CCA platforms bring to defense forces’ mission effectiveness, delivering increased operational mass and data exchange for informed decision-making while reducing cost and crewed pilot risk.”
During the exercise, the MQ-28, E-7A and F/A-18F launched from separate locations, and custodianship of the uncrewed aircraft was assumed by an E-7A operator once airborne. After the F/A-18F tracked the target and shared data across the formation, the MQ-28 repositioned, received engagement clearance and destroyed the drone with a Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM.
Colin Miller, vice president and general manager for Phantom Works, said the event highlighted the readiness of Boeing’s autonomous systems. “This exercise demonstrates the maturity and sophistication of Boeing’s mission autonomy solution which is built on open standards and government architectures and is capable of integrating with fourth, fifth and sixth generation aircraft,” he said.
Miller noted the rapid development cycle behind the demonstration. “It is a true example of speed-to-capability. The team implemented open architectures and an advanced digital ecosystem to develop the necessary hardware, software, and mission systems required to successfully integrate, test and employ the weapon in a live, operationally relevant scenario in under eight months.”
Boeing said the trial was conducted with support from the RAAF, the U.S. Air Force and industry partners. The company develops and services aerospace and defence systems for customers in more than 150 countries and cites safety, quality and integrity as core values guiding its work.
