Japan weighs Ghost Bat drone for its coastal defense plan

Boeing intends to offer the Australian-developed MQ-28 Ghost Bat for Japan's emerging coastal-defence requirement, while Airbus is also considering a proposal. The roughly 12-metre autonomous aircraft is designed to operate cooperatively with crewed fighters, carry mission payloads and extend surveillance or combat reach without placing a pilot at risk. A Japanese application could connect the platform to coastal sensors and other long-range defensive assets. The effort remains competitive and exploratory: Japan has not selected the MQ-28, published a purchase quantity, awarded a contract or announced an operational fielding date.