German armaments giant Rheinmetall said Tuesday it had struck a deal with Boeing Australia to offer an autonomous drone aircraft to the German military.The MQ-28 Ghost Bat, an unmanned aircraft being developed for the Royal Australian Air Force, is expected to be available to Germany by 2029, according to Rheinmetall.
The German firm would oversee integrating the MQ-28 into Germany's military fleet and weapons systems and handle maintenance, CEO Armin Papperger said in a press release, adding that the deal could bring in hundreds of millions of euros in revenue for the company.
"With Boeing Defence Australia as a partner, we are laying the groundwork to optimally tailor the MQ-28 to the Bundeswehr's requirements," Papperger said, referring to the German armed forces.
The MQ-28 Ghost Bat is designed to fly either alongside crewed combat aircraft or operate autonomously as a surveillance and reconnaissance jet.
It remains under development in Australia, where prototypes have completed more than 150 test flights, according to the press release.
Rheinmetall has grown rapidly in recent years as German military spending has surged in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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