Germany Drops Direct MQ-28 Ghost Bat Purchase Plan

Oct 19, 2026
Germany will not proceed with a direct purchase of the larger Block 3 MQ-28 Ghost Bat, shifting its collaborative combat aircraft program toward a broader competition.

Germany will not proceed with a direct acquisition of Boeing's larger Block 3 MQ-28 Ghost Bat, according to The War Zone. The German Defense Ministry informed Boeing that it would not pursue the planned purchase.

The decision does not exclude the MQ-28 from Germany's broader collaborative combat aircraft competition. Flight testing is expected to begin in 2027, while operational deployment could move from the original 2029 target into the early 2030s.

Other potential suppliers include Airbus and Kratos with the U740 Valkyrie, as well as Anduril, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Helsing and Hensoldt. Boeing and Rheinmetall formed a partnership in March to adapt the MQ-28 to German military requirements.

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