Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat is moving from concept to combat relevance, with the uncrewed aircraft now preparing to launch an AIM-120 AMRAAM in a live-fire test that will mark a decisive step in Australia’s push toward collaborative airpower. The upcoming shot will not just prove that the drone can carry a frontline missile, it will demonstrate whether a loyal wingman can reliably sense, decide, and shoot alongside crewed fighters in contested airspace.
As the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Boeing refine the MQ-28A into an operational system, the December AMRAAM event is emerging as a litmus test for how quickly advanced autonomy can be trusted with real weapons. I see it as the moment when the Ghost Bat stops being a promising experiment and starts to look like a practical combat asset.
The December AMRAAM shot and why it matters
The decision to arm the MQ-28A with an AIM-120 AMRAAM in a live trial is significant because it shifts the Ghost Bat from a technology demonstrator into a platform expected to deliver lethal effects on command. Reporting indicates that Boeing has been working toward a first live-fire of an AIM-120, often referred to in shorthand as a 120, as part of a broader test campaign that will validate the drone’s ability to detect, track, and engage an airborne target. By scheduling the AMRAAM launch for December, program leaders are signaling confidence that the aircraft’s sensors, datalinks, and fire-control logic are mature enough to handle a real missile shot rather than a captive-carry or simulated engagement.
The test is expected to take place over the Woomera Range Complex, with reporting noting that the event will unfold across the expansive Woomera Range Complex (WRC) in Australia and will involve the MQ-28A prosecuting a target with the AIM-120. I see this as more than a box-checking exercise. A successful intercept will show that an uncrewed aircraft can be trusted with one of the West’s most important beyond-visual-range weapons, and that the RAAF is ready to integrate the Ghost Bat into real air combat tactics rather than keeping it on the margins as a science project.
From concept to operational effectiveness with the RAAF
The December firing is only possible because the MQ-28A has already cleared a series of operational hurdles with the RAAF, which has been treating the Ghost Bat as a Collaborative Combat Aircraft rather than a niche drone. Earlier testing at Woomera in South Australia, detailed in official News Releases from WOOMERA, South Australia, Sept, show that the uncrewed MQ-28 platforms and their digital twins have already demonstrated the ability to pass data to a crewed platform and to enhance the capabilities of existing crewed aircraft. Those RAAF-defined demonstrations were designed to prove that the Ghost Bat can operate as a true teammate, not just a remote sensor truck.
That operational focus is also visible in how Boeing and the RAAF have framed the program’s evolution. Rather than treating the MQ-28A as a one-off experiment, they have positioned it as a core element of a future force in which uncrewed systems extend the reach and survivability of fighters and bombers. Earlier coverage of the Boeing MQ28 Ghostbat Australia’s leap into collaborative combat aviation on Sep 5, 2025, highlighted how Sep and Boeing see Ghostbat Australia as a pathfinder for a new generation of collaborative combat aviation. In that context, the AMRAAM shot is less a stunt and more a natural next step in proving that the RAAF’s investment in autonomy can translate into real combat power.
How the Ghost Bat’s design enables missile employment
For the MQ-28A to credibly fire an AIM-120, its airframe and mission systems have to support more than just carriage of a missile on a pylon. The Ghost Bat has been built around a modular architecture, with particular emphasis on a fully interchangeable nose section that can host different payloads. Reporting on the aircraft’s configuration notes that The Ghost Bat‘s key strength is its fully modular nose, which can accommodate sensor packages, radars, and weapon system interfaces. That modularity is central to integrating the guidance and targeting functions needed for an AMRAAM shot, since the missile depends on precise midcourse updates and handoff from the launching platform’s systems.
The aircraft’s stealth shaping and autonomy stack are equally important for missile employment. A drone that can approach contested airspace with a low signature and then coordinate with crewed fighters to launch an AIM-120 from an unexpected axis complicates any adversary’s defensive planning. Coverage describing the MQ-28 as an uncrewed combat aircraft designed to act as a force multiplier for crewed jets underscores this point, with More Related Stories noting that Boeing’s Ghost Bat is intended to operate from an operational RAAF base as a stealthy adjunct to manned aircraft. In my view, the AMRAAM test is the clearest proof yet that this design philosophy is paying off, turning the Ghost Bat into a platform that can both sense and shoot in support of a larger strike package.
Woomera, South Australia and the test range advantage
Australia’s geography and range infrastructure give the MQ-28A program a unique edge as it moves into live-fire testing. The Woomera Range Complex in southern Australia offers the kind of airspace, instrumentation, and isolation that are hard to match elsewhere, which is why the AMRAAM event is slated to unfold there. Reporting on the upcoming test notes that the trial will be carried out over the sprawling Woomera Range Complex (WRC) in Australia and that the MQ-28A will be tasked with engaging a target using the AIM-120. That combination of space and instrumentation is essential for safely tracking a high-speed missile shot and capturing the data needed to refine both software and tactics.
Woomera’s role in the Ghost Bat story extends beyond this single test. Earlier coverage of australia’s Ghostbat, described as the drone that could spook China, highlighted how Womera South Australia has become a proving ground for the country’s most advanced uncrewed systems. A detailed look at Ghostbat the drone that could spook China on Sep 27, 2025, emphasized how Sep, Womera South Australia, and Australia have combined to create a test ecosystem where new concepts can be flown, iterated, and validated at scale. From my perspective, the December AMRAAM shot is the latest expression of that ecosystem, using Woomera’s vast instrumented airspace to push the boundaries of what an autonomous combat drone can safely do with live weapons.
Industry pressure and Boeing’s drive to arm the Ghost Bat
Boeing has been under pressure to show that the MQ-28A is not just a sleek prototype but a weaponized system that can keep pace with a crowded autonomous aircraft market. Earlier in the year, company leaders made clear that they wanted to move quickly from flight testing to live weapons employment. Reporting from Mar 24, 2025, captured this urgency, noting that Mar was a key moment when While there are a lot of companies coming into the autonomous aircraft market, Boeing was laser-focused on execution and on proving that the product is that good. That mindset helps explain why the company has pushed hard to get to a live AMRAAM shot within the current test window.
The December firing also aligns with a broader narrative in which Boeing is positioning the Ghost Bat as a flagship for its uncrewed combat portfolio. Earlier coverage from Nov 16, 2025, highlighted how Nov was a milestone as Boeing said its Ghost Bat was on track for its first live-fire weapons shot with an AIM, specifically an AIM-120, and that the company expected this to occur in late 2025 or early 2026. By moving ahead with an AMRAAM launch now, Boeing is effectively staking its reputation on the MQ-28A’s ability to deliver on that Boeing commitment and to show that it can keep pace with rival efforts in the United States and Europe to field loyal wingman platforms.
Australia’s strategic bet on loyal wingmen
For Australia, the MQ-28A is more than a technology program, it is a strategic bet on how to maintain airpower relevance in a region where potential adversaries are fielding dense air defenses and large fighter fleets. The Ghost Bat is explicitly framed as an autonomous combat drone that will support crewed aircraft, and recent reporting has underlined that the platform is expected to conduct its first live-fire test with an AIM missile as part of that evolution. A detailed update on Nov 19, 2025, described how Nov was the moment when Australia‘s autonomous combat drone, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, was expected to conduct its first live-fire test with an AIM, reinforcing the idea that the RAAF sees this aircraft as a frontline asset.
That same strategic logic is evident in how Australian and international observers describe the Ghost Bat’s role in regional security. A separate analysis on Nov 19, 2025, framed the MQ-28A as a loyal wingman that will support crewed aircraft and is set to fire AIM-120 AMRAAM Missiles Soon at the Woomera Range Complex. The report noted that Boeing Australia’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat is preparing to Fire AIM missiles, specifically an AIM-120 AMRAAM, and that this Ghost Bat Set to Fire AIM AMRAAM Missiles Soon will take place at the Woomera Range Complex. In my view, that combination of loyal wingman tactics and high-end weaponry is central to how Canberra plans to offset larger air forces in the Indo-Pacific without trying to match them aircraft for aircraft.
What comes after the first AMRAAM launch
Once the MQ-28A has fired its first AIM-120, the real work will begin. A single successful shot will validate the integration of missile, aircraft, and command-and-control systems, but it will not answer all the questions about how the Ghost Bat should be used in combat. Future tests will need to explore scenarios in which the drone operates as part of a swarm, acts as a forward sensor for crewed fighters, or even carries alternative payloads in its modular nose. Earlier reporting on Nov 18, 2025, highlighted that Nov was when analysts emphasized the Ghost Bat’s modular sensor nose and its potential for swarm operations, noting that the aircraft’s key strength is its ability to host different sensor and weapon system configurations. That flexibility will shape what comes after the initial AMRAAM trial.
The broader trajectory of the program suggests that the December test is part of a carefully sequenced campaign rather than a one-off milestone. Earlier coverage on Nov 9, 2025, described how Nov was a turning point as More Related Stories examined Boeing’s Ghost Bat as an uncrewed combat aircraft designed to act as a force multiplier for crewed jets operating from an operational RAAF base. That Boeing Ghost Bat framing makes clear that the aircraft is expected to evolve rapidly once it proves it can fire an AIM-120, with follow-on work likely to focus on integrating additional weapons, refining autonomy, and expanding the range of missions it can support.
A new benchmark for autonomous combat aviation
By moving ahead with a live AIM-120 AMRAAM shot, the MQ-28A program is setting a benchmark for what autonomous combat aviation looks like when it is no longer confined to simulations and captive-carry tests. The combination of operational trials at Woomera, a modular design built around a flexible nose section, and a clear strategic role as a loyal wingman has positioned the Ghost Bat as a leading example of how uncrewed systems can be woven into frontline air forces. Earlier analysis from Sep 5, 2025, underscored that Sep and Boeing see Ghostbat Australia as a leap into collaborative combat aviation in an era where air dominance hinges on flexible, networked platforms, a point captured in coverage of Ghostbat Australia and its role in future air campaigns.
At the same time, the program’s visibility has drawn attention from regional observers who see the MQ-28A as a signal to potential adversaries. Reporting from Sep 27, 2025, described australia’s Ghostbat as the drone that could spook China, with particular emphasis on how Womera South Australia and Australia have used the platform to showcase advanced uncrewed capabilities. That narrative, detailed in coverage of China and the regional impact of Ghostbat the drone, suggests that the December AMRAAM shot will resonate far beyond the Woomera Range Complex. In my assessment, once the MQ-28A has successfully launched a 120-class missile in a controlled test, it will be hard to argue that autonomous combat drones are a distant future concept. They will be, quite literally, on the firing line.
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