Australia to Invest Additional $260Mln in Ghost Bat Drones Capability

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Australia will allocate a further 399 million Australian dollars ($260 million) to build the next generations of the Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat drones, Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said on Friday.

"Today I'm announcing the Albanese Government is investing a further $399 million in the Ghost Bat capability. This investment will build three new next generation Block 2 Ghost Bats," Conroy was quoted as saying by the Australian Defence Ministry.

The next generations of Ghost Bats will have "an enhanced design and improved capabilities," the minister said. Most of the funding will be spent on a technology which will enable the drones to work together with each other and with crewed aerial vehicles, Convoy said.

Australia has an agreement with the United States to share the Ghost Bat technology, Conroy said.

"The [Australian] Defence Strategic Review recommended that the MQ-28 Ghost Bat should be a priority for collaborative development with the United States," the minister said.

Moreover, the funding will secure around 350 high-skilled jobs in the country, including people employed at Australia’s Boeing plant, he added.