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Contracts · Uncrewed combat aircraft

Boeing says Germany will not directly buy its MQ-28 Ghost Bat

Breaking Defense reports Boeing’s account of Germany’s decision, but says aircraft tests could still give Boeing a chance to compete.

Germany’s Ministry of Defence has formally notified Boeing it will not directly procure the MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone wingman, Breaking Defense reported Oct. 16, citing a company spokesperson.1

Breaking Defense: Germany's 2029 CCA fielding target now looks in doubt

Collaborative Combat Aircraft procurement

Germanytarget of 2029planned

that timeline now looks to be in doubt

aircraft testsstarting in 2027planned

Politico stated that Berlin will wait until the early 2030s for the capability to arrive, with aircraft tests starting in 2027.

The tests are a chance for other competitors and Boeing to fight to be selected for the CCA acquisition.

Reported by Breaking Defense, citing Politico for test timing and capability arrival. As of Oct. 16, 2026.

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

Germany’s 2029 target for fielding collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) now looks in doubt, according to Breaking Defense. The outlet cited Politico’s reporting that Berlin will wait until the early 2030s for the capability.1

The ministry declined to discuss potential procurement projects in its response to Breaking Defense, citing procurement and public contracting law and the requirement that parliament address such matters first. Boeing deferred questions about the reason to the ministry, Breaking Defense reported.1

Boeing Australia and Rheinmetall unveiled an MQ-28 at the Berlin Air Show on June 10, hoping to fly it for the German air force, Breaking Defense reported. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger told the outlet then that government negotiations were continuing. If Germany wanted the aircraft by 2029, he said, he expected the final stage of contract negotiations would have to begin by the following year at the latest.2

Aircraft tests starting in 2027 could give Boeing and other competitors a chance to be selected, according to Breaking Defense, which cited Politico for the test timing. Breaking Defense expects other offers, including Helsing’s CA-1 Europa, and reports that the Airbus-Kratos U740-Valkyrie is also set to compete.1

Sources (2)
  1. Breaking Defense: Germany changes course on plans to buy MQ-28 drone wingman: Boeing official (Oct. 16, 2026) breakingdefense.com
  2. Breaking Defense: Drone wingmen face off at Berlin Air Show in race for German CCA (June 10, 2026) breakingdefense.com
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Industry · Uncrewed aircraft

Airbus scraps Wingman combat drone, Breaking Defense reports

Breaking Defense reports that customers sought earlier service entry, prompting Airbus to pursue a design derived from its Barracuda demonstrator.

Airbus has scrapped development of its Wingman combat drone concept as Germany accelerated the timetable for potential service entry, Breaking Defense reported from Munich on Nov. 3.1

Airbus has scrapped development of its Wingman concept aircraft

Airbus decided to pursue development of the U760

Wingman was to usea bespoke engineplanned

Wingman was to use a bespoke engine from Rolls Royce Deutschland and ITP Aero

the U760 will usea business jet engineplanned

the U760 will use a business jet engine

Reported by Breaking Defense. As of Nov. 3, 2026.

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

Laurent Le Quément, Airbus's head of future air power and uncrewed aerial systems marketing, told reporters at the International Fighter Conference that customers wanted earlier service entry. He said Airbus chose to pursue the U760 because it builds on the Barracuda demonstrator.1

He did not identify the customer, though Airbus said in 2024 that Wingman was designed for emerging German Air Force requirements. At Wingman's 2024 unveiling, Airbus Defence and Space CEO Michael Schoellhorn had indicated a fielding timeline much closer to 2040.1

Breaking Defense also reported that Airbus is developing the U740 Valkyrie with Kratos to support a 2029 German requirement. The outlet cited recent reporting that the requirement's timeline was in doubt after Germany reconsidered a direct purchase of Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat drones. That left competitors including Airbus, offering Valkyrie, still in the running for an order from Berlin.1

The U760 is to use a business jet engine; Wingman was to use a bespoke engine from Rolls-Royce Deutschland and ITP Aero, Breaking Defense reported, citing Le Quément.1

Sources (1)
  1. Breaking Defense: Wingman out, Ravenstorm in, Airbus changes tact to meet Germany's accelerated operations timeline breakingdefense.com
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Industry · Collaborative combat aircraft

General Atomics adds Spirit Defense as FQ-42 fuselage design-build partner

Spirit Defense, a Boeing company, will support fuselage design and production as General Atomics seeks to scale manufacturing of its Air Force collaborative combat aircraft.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on Oct. 23 a partnership with Spirit Defense to support airframe production of the FQ-42 Vengeance collaborative combat aircraft. Spirit Defense, a Boeing company, will serve as a fuselage design-build partner, supporting the program from design through production.1

Spirit Defense's role is fuselage design-build partner

FQ-42 Vengeance Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Spirit Defensefuselage design-build partnerStated scope

supporting the program from design through production

GA-ASIcontract from the Air Forceactual

In June GA-ASI won a contract from the Air Force to produce FQ-42

Source: GA-ASI, October 23, 2026

Sources
TGOs tgos.io

The partnership follows an initial Air Force order for the FQ-42A, which GA-ASI announced June 17.2 GA-ASI says Spirit Defense offers the manufacturing capacity and industrial depth to scale production faster and reduce the risk of single points of failure.1

Also announced: GA-ASI says it is discussing its Gambit Series with interested international militaries. The family of uncrewed combat jets derives partly from its FQ-42 work.1

The partnership puts Spirit Defense's engineering and manufacturing capabilities behind a program already under an Air Force production contract.1–2 Faster production remains GA-ASI's stated benefit; the announcement provides no delivery schedule or work-share split for Spirit Defense.1

Sources (2)
  1. GA-ASI: GA-ASI Partnering With Spirit Defense For FQ-42 CCA Production (Oct. 23, 2026) www.ga-asi.com
  2. GA-ASI: U.S Air Force Awards GA-ASI Production Contract for FQ-42A CCA (June 17, 2026) www.ga-asi.com
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