Drone wingmen face off at Berlin Air Show in race for German CCA

Key Points:

• Boeing Australia and Germany’s Rheinmetall unveiled the MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone at the Berlin Air Show, aiming to supply the German air force with the collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) by 2029, pending contract negotiations.
• The MQ-28 features a 25% increased wingspan, enabling it to carry an additional 2,000 pounds of fuel and payload, including two AMRAAM missiles or four small-diameter bombs, and has logged over 200 flight hours.
• Competing firms also showcased their CCA developments: German company Helsing introduced the CA-1EA electronic attack variant, Airbus displayed a full-scale model of its U760 Ravenstorm concept, and General Atomics presented its Gambit drone from the US Air Force’s CCA program.
• Rheinmetall CEO indicated final contract negotiations with Germany are expected by next year if the MQ-28 is to be delivered by 2029, though the German Ministry of Defense declined to comment on procurement timelines.
• The Berlin Air Show has become a focal point for CCA technology, with multiple companies advancing autonomous combat aircraft designed to operate alongside manned fighter jets.