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Boeing said on Monday it will design and develop military aircraft, including unmanned vehicles, in Australia -- the first time it has done so outside the United States.
The decision will also mark the first time a military aircraft has been totally designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in over 50 years, Boeing officials said.
Boeing unveiled a model of the unmanned aerial vehicle, named Loyal Wingman, at a ceremony Monday marking the partnership between Boeing Australia, 35 component companies and the Australian state of Queensland.
"The creation of additional new aerospace capability could see unmanned defense aircraft produced here by the middle of the decade, with prototype testing and certification taking place before that," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said at the ceremony.
"We are carrying out our plan to recover [from the COVID-19 pandemic] and grow, including into new industries, and it's very important that we do that not just as a government but with key partnerships. Supporting this project is a significant investment in the Queensland defense and manufacturing industries and will strengthen ties between Australia and the global defense market."
The state, in northeastern Australia, is regarded as a major hub in the country's aerospace industry. A Boeing statement on Monday noted that the company has 1,700 employees in the state, supporting 400suppliers.
The Loyal Wingman prototype on display Monday is 38 feet long and will be able to fly more than 2,000 nautical miles, according to Boeing. It includes sensor packages, onboard supporting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and is capable of tactical early warning missions.
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