Rheinmetall Partners with Boeing to Produce Drones

Reference News Network reported on April 3 According to the German "Business Daily" website on March 31, Rheinmetall has reached a cooperation agreement with Boeing's Australian division to produce a long-range combat drone for the German Bundeswehr. Rheinmetall announced the news on March 31 and stated in a press release: "The Bundeswehr plans to procure Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Our goal is to provide the MQ-28 'Ghost Bat' drone as a mature solution to the Bundeswehr by 2029."

Last year, the Bundeswehr issued a tender for the procurement of combat drones. According to the requirements, these drones should have stealth capabilities, speeds close to the speed of sound, and a range of over 1,000 kilometers.

In addition, they must be able to carry hundreds of kilograms of weapons. However, the most important requirement is the delivery time: these combat drones should officially enter service with the Bundeswehr by 2029.

Last week, German Defense Minister Pistorius visited Boeing during his trip to Australia and inspected the MQ-28 drone. He described this drone as "highly competitive" and stated that Germany would decide as soon as possible which company to prioritize.

A week ago, the European Union signed a free trade agreement with Australia, which may also facilitate cooperation between Rheinmetall and Boeing's Australian division (the largest subsidiary of Boeing).

According to the cooperation agreement, Boeing will be responsible for the manufacturing of the drone, while Rheinmetall will be responsible for integrating it into the "existing and future command and weapon systems of the Bundeswehr." As the "system integrator," Rheinmetall is expected to generate hundreds of millions of euros in revenue.

Compared to its competitors, Boeing's drone may have the biggest advantage in that it has already been tested. The MQ-28 made its maiden flight in early 2021 and has completed approximately 150 flights to date. This model was originally designed for the Royal Australian Air Force.

Brendan Nelson, Senior Vice President of Boeing and President of Boeing Global, stated that Germany and Australia will adopt similar strategies to integrate this drone into their respective air forces; both countries are equipped with F-35 fighter jets, and the new drone must operate in coordination with them. (Translated by Zhong Sirui)