Rheinmetall and Boeing Australia to Supply Combat Aircraft to German Military

By Aimee Look

Arms maker Rheinmetall said it struck a deal with Boeing's Australian business to offer autonomous combat aircraft for the German armed forces, bolstering its airspace capabilities.

The deal is expected to bring hundreds of millions of euros in revenue for Rheinmetall, it said. It will enable Bundeswehr's procurement of collaborative combat aircraft, MQ-28 Ghost Bat, by 2029, Rheinmetall said.

Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat was developed for the Royal Australian Air Force and other allied nations, Rheinmetall said.

Rheinmetall will be the system manager for the combat aircraft, and will oversee its integration into the German military, it said.

"With Boeing Defence Australia as a partner, we are laying the groundwork to optimally tailor the MQ-28 to the Bundeswehr's requirements," said Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG.

Rheinmetall said it will offer a digital environment for engineers in Germany and Australia to test new software and innovations.

"This is not just a partnership between our companies but between two great countries, Germany and Australia, who share a similar strategy for integrating collaborative combat aircraft into their air forces," said Dr. Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing Global.

Write to Aimee Look at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

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