𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐌𝐚𝐲: Integration of Ghost Bat into IOC and Air Combat Capability Planning (AI Study Guide)

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2023 May: Integration of Ghost Bat into IOC and Air Combat Capability Planning

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
In May 2023, the Royal Australian Air Force and Defence integrated the MQ-28A Ghost Bat into initial operating capability pathways and air combat force design. Guided by April’s Defence Strategic Review and ministerial direction, planners prioritised autonomous teaming, accelerated acquisition, and sovereign industry. Work linked Block II maturation, digital-live testing, and a 2025 capability demonstration with integrated air and missile defence constructs, assuring interoperability, airworthiness governance, operator pipelines, and mission-system spirals consistent with a National Defence posture and reprioritised investment settings across government.

𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬
𝟏. Initial Operating Capability (IOC): Declares first trained, supported, deployable warfighting baseline.
𝟐. Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA): Uncrewed wingmen team with fighters under mission command.
𝟑. Block II: Spiral build standard advancing airframe, autonomy, payloads, and software.
𝟒. Digital-Live Testing: Blends models, ranges, and flights to compress certification cycles.
𝟓. Denial Strategy: Prevents adversary power projection into Australia’s northern approaches.
𝟔. AIR 6014: Program line governing Ghost Bat capability development and delivery.
𝟕. IAMD: Networked sensors, command, and shooters protecting forces from air and missile threats.
𝟖. AIR 6500: Joint Air Battle Management System enabling IAMD integration and control.
𝟗. Airworthiness Evidence: Test data and safety cases enabling operational release decisions.
𝟏𝟎. Sovereign Industrial Base: Australian design, manufacture, and sustainment ensuring availability.

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬
𝟏. Policy trigger and timing: Following April’s Defence Strategic Review, planners in May integrated MQ-28A into force-design rhythms, mapping IOC gates, operational test design, and teaming concepts that deliver affordable mass, survivability, and denial effects under ministerial direction while reprioritising schedules, budgets, and risk tolerances consistent with a National Defence posture and accelerated acquisition approaches. https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-04-24/release-defence-strategic-review

𝟐. US collaboration framework: Bilateral Collaborative Combat Aircraft arrangement with the United States enabled information exchange, test participation, and mission-system alignment; staff incorporated export-control compliance, sovereign growth options, and allied interoperability within IOC criteria and evidence frameworks, under Head Air Force authority guiding laboratories, ranges, modelling, and experimentation to de-risk Block II integration and future operational release. https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2024-02-09/albanese-government-invests-further-400-million-next-generation-loyal-wingman-drone

𝟑. IOC approach and sequencing: Scheduling linked Block II maturation, payload growth, and combined digital-live testing, treating a 2025 capability demonstration as the decisive operational evaluation before declaring an initial warfighting baseline inside the air combat system and AIR 6014 governance, with buffers addressing software integration, range availability, safety artefacts, and allied participation risks identified. https://www.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-05/2024-25_Defence_PBS_00_Complete.pdf

𝟒. Force-design rationale: Analysis positioned Ghost Bat to preserve F-35A mass, extend sensor reach, and complicate adversary targeting by distributing risk and adding nodes across integrated air and missile defence kill-webs; investment alignment followed the rebuilt Integrated Investment Program and National Defence Strategy, strengthening deterrence by denial under deputy prime ministerial direction and whole-of-government force-design governance processes. https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2024-04-17/2024-national-defence-strategy

𝟓. Operational concepts: Concepts emphasised human-machine teaming with E-7A control options, autonomous waypointing, and modular payloads delivering sensing, decoy, and enabling-strike roles to improve tempo, custody, and survivability while integrating with existing command-and-control frameworks under Chief of Air Force guidance and Headquarters Air Command oversight for progressive combat utility. https://www.boeing.com.au/products-services/defence-space-security/ghost-bat

𝟔. Test and evaluation pathways: Test design combined model-based verification, digital twins, instrumented range events, and evolving safety cases to compress certification while protecting airworthiness; objectives were tied to Block II builds, payload spirals, and software releases under Defence Aviation Safety Regulation and Operational Test and Evaluation frameworks, enabling timely operational release decisions. https://dasa.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/0124%20Spotlight.pdf

𝟕. Industry and sovereign content: Planning sequenced production, sustainment, and facilities to ensure availability, focusing on sovereign mission-system content and workforce pipelines; IOC assumptions reflected supply-chain resilience, advanced manufacturing, and SME participation aligned with the Defence Industry Development Strategy and sovereign industrial priorities emphasising autonomous systems. https://www.defence.gov.au/about/strategic-planning/defence-industry-development-strategy

𝟖. Integration with command systems: Requirements mandated interoperability with AIR 6500 Joint Air Battle Management increments so Ghost Bat contributes tracks, manages emissions, and supports fires deconfliction; delivery proceeds through incremental software, radar integration, and network accreditation governed by Joint, CASG, and Air Command authorities inside IAMD constructs. https://www.defence.gov.au/defence-activities/projects/joint-air-battle-management-system

𝟗. Workforce and training: Workforce design established operator pipelines, tactics development, and distributed control constructs to absorb uncrewed platforms without degrading pilot throughput, leveraging existing training systems and mission-crew models; governance emphasised modernisation, skills uplift, and readiness under ministerial direction supporting rapid translation of disruptive technologies into frontline capability. https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/speeches/2024-02-21/people-power-posture-modernising-australian-defence-force-meet-challenges-future

𝟏𝟎. Funding signals and milestones: Government announcements confirmed additional investment, Block II airframes, payload development, and a 2025 capability demonstration, validating schedule assumptions about spiral growth, allied interoperability, and test infrastructure, signalling intent to field affordable mass quickly under accountable acquisition governance and explicit ministerial oversight across the decade. https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2024-02-12/more-funding-fuel-ghost-bat

𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬
𝟏. Gillison, D. Volume I – Royal Australian Air Force, 1939–1942. Official History, Series 3 (RCDIG1070209). [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1417315] Australian War Memorial
𝟐. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 3 – Air. Collection overview and digital records. [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1417303] Australian War Memorial
𝟑. Gillison, D. Chapter 1 – Formation of the Royal Australian Air Force (RCDIG1070474). [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1417580] Australian War Memorial
𝟒. Gillison, D. Chapter 5 – The New Command (RCDIG1070724). [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1417830] Australian War Memorial

𝐅𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝟏. Department of Defence, 2024, “More funding to fuel Ghost Bat,” Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2024-02-12/more-funding-fuel-ghost-bat
𝟐. Minister for Defence Industry, 2024, “Albanese Government invests further $400 million in next-generation ‘Loyal Wingman’ drone,” Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2024-02-09/albanese-government-invests-further-400-million-next-generation-loyal-wingman-drone
𝟑. Department of Defence, 2024, “Plan to power up the air domain,” Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2024-04-22/plan-power-up-air-domain
𝟒. Air and Space Power Centre, 2025, “Accelerating into the future: impact of artificial intelligence on warfare,” Canberra: Department of Defence. https://airpower.airforce.gov.au/blog/accelerating-future-impact-artificial-intelligence-warfare
𝟓. Davis, M., 2024, “Next steps for the Ghost Bat,” Canberra: ASPI, The Strategist
𝟔. Boeing, 2025, MQ-28 Ghost Bat: Products and capabilities overview, Sydney: Boeing Defence Australia

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬
• AWM Official Histories provide enduring RAAF context and institutional continuity framing modern planning.
• AWM holdings are limited on current MQ-28A program specifics; authoritative contemporary details reside on Defence and ministerial domains.
• Approved secondary sources, including APDC, ASPI, and Boeing materials, complement government records with practitioner analysis and technical context.