Boeing starts construction on first final assembly facility outside North America
Boeing said it expected the new MQ-28 production facility in Queensland, Australia, to be operational in three years. (Image: Boeing)
The site will manufacture the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the first combat aircraft manufactured, engineered and designed in Australia in more than 50 years.
Construction has begun at Boeing’s first final assembly facility outside of North America. The new site in Queensland, Australia, will support the manufacture of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat.
Located at the Wellcamp Aerospace and Defence Precinct, the US aerospace company said it expected the 9,000sqm site to be operational in three years. The development came after the Australian Department of Defence announced in February that it would invest an additional AU$400 million (US$261 million) in the development of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat.
The facility will include manufacturing capabilities such as carbon fibre composites manufacturing and robotic assembly for significant components. The MQ-28 production facility will also contain final assembly and test capabilities.
Designed as a multirole system to escort crewed aircraft, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat began development in 2013 and took its first flight in February 2021. The aircraft was previously called the Airpower Teaming System (ATS) or the ‘Loyal Wingman’.
According to Boeing, the facility, developed in cooperation with the Queensland government and Wagner Corporation, will be built using sustainable construction methods and incorporate renewable technologies.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![Oshkosh and Grid Aero tie-up tests new model for scaling military UAS production]()
Oshkosh and Grid Aero tie-up tests new model for scaling military UAS production
By combining established manufacturing capacity with startup aircraft design, the partnership could offer an alternative approach to scaling military uncrewed aircraft production.
-
![European funding and NATO interoperability could shape Polish helicopter plans]()
European funding and NATO interoperability could shape Polish helicopter plans
Poland is seeking to update its transport helicopters as part of a wider military aviation modernisation programme, with EU funding requirements and NATO interoperability key considerations.
-
![Poland air focus: $8.27 billion UAV market highlights value of long-term supplier relationships]()
Poland air focus: $8.27 billion UAV market highlights value of long-term supplier relationships
Poland’s growing investment in UAVs highlights how recurring procurement contracts and continuous technological development can provide suppliers with sustained opportunities beyond initial acquisitions.
-
![Saab’s flight-tested AI agents signal new era of crewed-uncrewed fighter systems]()
Saab’s flight-tested AI agents signal new era of crewed-uncrewed fighter systems
Saab is developing artificial intelligence (AI) agents for crewed and uncrewed aircraft, targeting potential operational deployment within months, while expanding its training capabilities, partnerships and ambitions for wider military applications.
-
![October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age]()
October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age
Israel’s $1 billion Apache helicopter order highlights the continued demand for crewed attack aviation, while growing integration with uncrewed systems could shape future modernisation and procurement decisions.
-
![US Navy keeps Super Hornet production restart option open, but without defined cost or timetable]()
US Navy keeps Super Hornet production restart option open, but without defined cost or timetable
The US Navy plans to preserve Super Hornet and Growler tooling as production winds down, with restart costs unassessed and final F/A-18 deliveries expected in late 2027.
