Boeing to build MQ-28 Ghost Bat at Wellcamp airport

Construction has started on Boeing’s new production facility for unmanned combat aircraft at Wagner’s Toowoomba Wellcamp airport.

Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat Picture - Supplied

Construction has started at Toowoomba Wellcamp on facilities equipped to produce a state-of-the-art unmanned combat aircraft, the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, also known as the Loyal Wingman.

The aircraft, in addition to being able to carry weapons and missiles, also acts as support and protection for pilots and can travel more than 3700km, more than the distance between Brisbane to Perth (~3,600km).

The 11-metre long aircraft will be produced by Boeing at Wagner Corporation’s $550m Wellcamp Aerospace and Defence Precinct at Toowoomba Airport, 20km west of the CBD.

The 9000 square metre facility is expected to be finished three years from now and will be the first combat aircraft designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years to be produced in Queensland, Deputy Premier Cameron Dick said.

Boeing Global Service Vice President Scott Carpendale, Queensland Deputy Premier Cameron Dick and Wagner Corporation Director Denis Wagner at Toowoomba Wellcamp for the construction of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat production facilities. Picture: Christine Schindler

Once built, the facility will bring 200 construction jobs and 100 skilled jobs to Toowoomba with an estimated injection of $1 billion over 10 years into the economy, he said.

Due to the commercial agreements, Mr Dick was unable to say what the total investment into the facilities was.

“We make no apology for ensuring that we can attract this investment to Queensland,” he said.

“We’ve made public our intention to have the aircraft produced for a tenth of the cost of a fifth generation fighter,” Boeing Global Service Vice President Scott Carpendale said.

Each aircraft is estimated to cost around $8-10 million each, according to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

The facilities will also include opportunities for other manufacturing industries or companies interested in working alongside Boeing and discussions are in place with local education institutions around what skills this can bring to region, Wagner Corporation Director Denis Wagner said.

“This is a really great opportunity for industry to work with higher education, and not only that – secondary education and down to primary education where we can educate students on what the opportunities will be going forward,” he said.

It comes almost two months after the announcement in February 2024, when the federal government allocated an additional $399 million for the MQ28A Ghost Bat.