Boeing’s Ghost Bat Loyal: Imagine a future battlefield in which human pilots don’t fly alone, instead, they command intelligent, autonomous wingmen that accompany them, scout ahead, shield them, and even take on risk. This is the vision Boeing is selling with its proposal to pair the F-15EX Eagle II with its MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone. By combining a high-performance manned fighter with next-generation “loyal wingman” drones, Boeing hopes to provide air forces with not just a plane, but a networked family of systems boosting mass, reach, and resilience without multiplying manpower proportionally.
What Are the Key Players?
F-15EX Eagle II: The Command Jet
The F-15EX is Boeing’s latest version of its proven Eagle family: a twin-engine, high-performance, long-range multirole fighter. Boeing is marketing it aggressively, including to Poland.
In Boeing’s pitch to Poland (via “Team Eagle”), the F-15EX is not just a standalone platform it is offered as a command and control hub for unmanned systems, notably the MQ-28.
MQ-28 Ghost Bat: The Loyal Wingman Drone
The MQ-28A Ghost Bat, developed by Boeing Defence Australia and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), is a collaborative combat aircraft (CCA).
It is designed for “manned-unmanned teaming” (MUM-T): it can operate semi-autonomously or under the tactical control of a piloted aircraft.
The Ghost Bat has a modular mission system: its nose section can be swapped for different payloads surveillance sensors, electronic-warfare gear, or (in future) weapons.
It boasts a long range: publicly reported to be more than 3,700 km in some sources.
The aircraft has gone through extensive testing: physical flight hours, software simulation, and interoperability trials are underway.
Importantly, a live fire test is planned: Boeing has announced that the Ghost Bat will fire an AIM-120 AMRAAM (air-to-air missile) likely by late 2025 or early 2026.
Boeing’s Ghost Bat Loyal: Trials and Demonstrations
A major milestone came in June 2025 when Boeing, together with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), conducted a demonstration in which two Ghost Bat drones and a simulated third “digital” aircraft were flown in formation, controlled by one operator aboard an E-7A Wedgetail. This trial validated not just flight performance, but the concept of “family-of-systems” integration: it showed how unmanned aircraft can be commanded seamlessly by existing crewed assets.
Another strong sign of progress comes from the MQ-28’s development roadmap: Boeing is accelerating preparations for a live air-to-air missile test, tentatively planned for late 2025 or early 2026. Such a test would be a crucial step toward turning the Ghost Bat into a truly combat-ready drone.
The Poland Angle
Boeing’s pairing of the F-15EX and Ghost Bat is not just a technology demo, it is a key part of its export strategy, especially for Poland. During the MSPO 2025 defense exhibition, Boeing showcased this manned-unmanned package as part of its “Team Eagle” bid to supply up to 32 twin-engine jets to the Polish Air Force. “It has been an exceptional collaborative effort across organisations from government, contractors, and global partners,” said Adam Tsacoumangos, director of Air Dominance Programs for Boeing’s Phantom Works.
What makes the offer more attractive for Poland is that Boeing is coupling it with industrial cooperation: local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) partnerships, plus research and production opportunities. According to Boeing, Poland already has MRO capability, which could be leveraged in this deal.
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Technical & Operational Challenges Ahead
Of course, this vision is ambitious, and there are real challenges to making it operational. For one, live missile firing from an unmanned drone is risky success will require rigorous testing and safety systems. Then there’s the command and control problem: managing multiple drones in a contested environment demands secure, low-latency datalinks, and resilient software. While Boeing’s demonstrations (like the Wedgetail trial) are promising, real combat adds complexity.
Cost is another factor: although Ghost Bats are “cheaper” than fighters, building, operating, and supporting many of them still requires funding. Nations will need to decide how many drones are expendable vs how many must be long-lifecycle. On the policy side, rules of engagement for weaponised autonomous drones remain a sensitive issue who makes the decision to fire, and when? Finally, export deals depend on industrial and regulatory partnerships, which are never simple to negotiate.
