SYDNEY, Dec 8 (Reuters) – Australia is expected to announce on Tuesday it will sign a A$1 billion ($663.30 million) contract with Boeing Australia to move the Ghost Bat air drone into production, buying an initial six of the collaborative combat aircraft, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
A developmental aircraft designed by Boeing Australia, the Ghost Bat or MQ-28A is the first military aircraft designed in Australia in more than 50 years, Australia’s defence force has previously said.
The announcement coincides with talks between Australian and United States defence and foreign ministers in Washington, as the U.S. presses its Indo Pacific ally to increase defence spending.
The Ghost Bat is expected to have a range of more than 3,700 kilometres and has been designed to fly as a partner with crewed Air Force platforms.
Australia said in October it would spend A$1.7 billion ($1.1 billion) on a fleet of “Ghost Shark” autonomous undersea vehicles, developed by its defence force and U.S. startup Anduril Industries.
Australia’s defence force has previously said it wants to incorporate autonomous technology to defend a vast coastline and up to 3 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of northern ocean.
($1 = 1.5076 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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