Australian

The U.S. Air Force is “threaded in tight” with the work Australians are doing with the MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft, according to the service’s top officer in the Pacific. This was underscored by the MQ-28’s participation at a major exercise earlier this year, lessons from which are feeding into the Air Force’s evolving plans for its forthcoming Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone fleets. Deep integration between the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) opens the door to American personnel potentially ordering Australian MQ-28s around in the future, too.

Air Force Gen. Kevin Schneider, head of Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), discussed the importance of the inclusion of the MQ-28 in Exercise Valiant Shield 2026, as well as other topics, earlier today. Schneider’s remarks came during a talk the Air & Space Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies hosted online.

“Grateful that we were able to incorporate some of this in Valiant Shield or to be a part of it. I’d say most of the interaction in Valiant Shield was within our test community,” Schneider said when asked about the involvement of the MQ-28 in the exercise. “The experimental operations squadron that we have looking at U.S. Air Force CCA platforms was really threaded in tight with what the Australians were doing. So the cross flow of information within the test and development effort is really strong.”

MQ-28 Ghost Bat Makes Its Debut — F-2, F-35B & P-8 Join Valiant Shield 2026

The experimental squadron Schneider mentioned here is formally called the Experimental Operations Unit (EOU), and is headquartered at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The EOU was first established in 2023 and expanded into a full squadron-sized formation last year. The unit is specifically tasked with supporting the development of new concepts of operations for fielding and employing CCAs, as well as tactics, techniques, and procedures to go with them. The Air Force’s initial CCA force is set to consist of a mixture of General Atomics FQ-42 Dark Merlin and Anduril FQ-44 Fury drones. These are the two types now in development as part of the initial phase, or Increment 1, of the program.

The MQ-28, which Boeing has been developing for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) since the 2010s, is not formally part of the Air Force’s CCA program at present, at least as far as we know. The Air Force has said in the past that it has used at least one of these drones to support work on advanced autonomous capabilities and other related developments. To date, the RAAF has received eight Ghost Bats, all in pre-production Block 1 configuration. Boeing is now working on the first batch of Block 2 MQ-28s, an improved version that is seen as a direct stepping stone toward the now-in-development Block 3 type. The Block 3 will be substantially different from its predecessors, with a longer main wing, internal weapons bays, and other new design elements, as you can read more about here.

At Valiant Shield, the MQ-28 flew together with one of the U.S. Air Force’s new F-15EX Eagle II fighters, among a host of other American and allied aircraft. Whether any of those platforms issued any direct commands to the Ghost Bat during the exercise is unclear. Boeing and the RAAF have previously demonstrated airborne control of the drone via an E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control plane.

“As that continues to play out and evolve, then we can start looking at operator-to-operator, between the RAAF and the PACAF and USAF, to look at command and control architectures, authorities, exactly how we would use this,” Gen. Schneider continued. “I’m really impressed with how that program, the Ghost Bat program, is going, and what it sets as an example for others that are going down this road with CCAs.”

Being able to pool CCA-like drone capacity, even during a heated and complex fight, based on common architectures, rather than necessarily common platforms, would be of major benefit to all involved. This would extend beyond the tactical realm to maintenance and logistics. TWZ previously laid out a detailed case for exactly this level of deep cooperation, particularly between the United States and Australia, as well as the United Kingdom, as part of the trilateral AUKUS defense cooperation agreement.

Schneider was also asked later in the talk to elaborate on the current state of the Air Force’s own CCA plans in light of his comments about the MQ-28.

“I’m going to give you an unsatisfactory answer. I would say that of my many flaws, one of them is I am somewhat trapped in the present and the here and now. So my sight picture is from today to about three to five years in the future,” the PACAF commander said. “Where CCAs are sitting right now in terms of their development, that’s kind of the edge of my radar scope.”

“Headquarters Air Force is thinking long and hard about this, and especially as they look at future [force] design,” he continued. “So there are others that are more certainly thinking the big thoughts, trying to understand what it is that we need going forward, especially as we look at what are the Increment 2, the second generation of CCAs, what those requirements are, and then how we would incorporate those.”

“I absolutely do see value and opportunity,” Schneider added. “There’s discussion about what are the specific use cases and and how we would employ them. But I would say the better people to pose those questions to are probably sitting in the Pentagon and sitting in Headquarters A5/7 [the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Air Force Futures] right now.”

The Air Force has been working to refine the CCA Increment 2 requirements for some time. Officials have said in the past that the service is leaning toward lower-cost and less complex designs for this second tranche of drones. Novel capabilities, including the ability to be launched from other aircraft, could also be on the table.

“Platforms are important, the high-end exquisite platforms, but rails and munitions, and just in a broad sense, I owe the combatant commander options on how to deal with operational problems,” the head of PACAF also said, talking more generally. “I don’t want to be in a position to go, boss, [and say] ‘I can only offer you this one solution to a operational problem set.’”

“I do think our ability to mass fires and to do a lot of things at at once is also required,” he continued. “You know there is a mix, and we are having the conversation in the Air Force: is what’s the right mix of exquisite to to to exquisite capabilities and mass capabilities, and we’re taking a hard look at all of that.”

It’s also worth noting here that the Air Force already has a formal agreement with the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy to develop common control architectures that will enable the seamless transfer of control of CCAs between the services during future operations. Gen. Schneider’s comments today point to the possibility of a similarly deep level of future interoperability with the RAAF, if that isn’t already on the official agenda. There is already direct foreign participation in the Air Force’s CCA program, with the service formalizing a partnership with the Netherlands earlier this year.

Australia is a major U.S. ally, and Gen. Schneider highlighted the especially deep level of integration that already exists between his service and the RAAF during today’s talk.

“Jumping back to [Exercise] Southern Cross in Australia, I am watching American F-35 pilots, not exchange pilots, but American F-35 pilots from an operational unit get into Australian F-35s,” Schneider said. “The Australian air chief [Australia’s Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Stephen Chappell] signed an interfly agreement allowing U.S. Air Force line pilots to fly his airplanes.”

“There’s a little bit of a risk associated with that, I’m sure. There’s a burden with that, but you know allies and partners are stepping up at all levels to share that burden. And I was tremendously impressed with Chaps [Air Marshal Chappell] and his team for their willingness to do that,” the PACAF commander continued. “We’re getting towards interchangeability where we can do each other’s jobs, and in this case, the Australians letting us fly their airplanes, which again is tremendous work.”

Gen. Schneider was also asked about the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts of operations. At its core, ACE is centered on rapid and irregular deployments to far-flung operating locations, often with limited logistics support. The concept has been baked into the service’s CCA requirements from the start. This was underscored by an exercise involving both Increment 1 designs that the EOU ran out of Creech Air Force Base in Nevada just last week, which TWZ was first to report on. ACE is also seen as especially critical for future operations in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly during a high-end fight with China. The concept has been evolving now for more than a decade.

Visualizing ACE

“To see how much we had evolved from that initial conversation [about ACE] that I was aware of in 2015 to where we are today has been revolutionary, more than evolutionary,” Schneider said. “I give great credit to the units. When we task the units to go out to do exercises, they have really refined how they operate, what they need to operate, how they get down to the minimum amount of kit to do this.”

“There are lessons from existing conflicts, and I would say how Ukraine has been able to operate over the four -plus years of that fight, still to be able to generate air power, has been informative to us. How they collect information, how their I&W [indications warning] of incoming attacks, dispersal, moving around,” he added. There have also been “observations from how Israel over months and years has continued to generate air power in the wave [sic; face of waves] of high-intensity attacks.”

“Again, not going into details, but we do pay attention to that, and that has shaped us,” the PACAF commander explained. “There’s an indication and warning piece, there’s a dispersal piece, there’s camouflage, and concealment and deception, all of which we pay attention to. And we’re looking to continue to build out those capabilities within our formations.”

“And then there’s the active defense piece,” he continued. “You know, as the Air Force continues to look to field systems, sensors, and effectors, PACAF has a large voice in what that looks like, and is able to have influence in the Air Force as we pursue those capabilities.”

Schneider said that physical hardening is part of the equation, too, but did not offer more granular details in that regard. The optimal mix of active and passive defenses to best protect air bases and other critical installations from a growing array of aerial threats that range from ballistic missiles to drones continues to be a very hot topic of debate. This is something TWZ has been following very closely for years now. This discussion is set to become complex in new ways as the Air Force moves to take on additional base defense roles and responsibilities that have historically been assigned to the U.S. Army. The service is very much in the early stages of determining what that will entail and what force posture changes this will require.

New capabilities, including CCAs, and evolving concepts of operations, as well as the growing threat ecosystem, have also prompted questions about how the Air Force expects to perform its central mission of providing air superiority in the future.

“Air superiority is never going to go away. It is a core function of the United States Air Force. Those who seek to change it or redefine it, I would question their doctrinal foundation or their understanding of history,” Gen. Schneider said today. “Air superiority is absolutely essential, and the flexibility that air superiority allows for every other mission to happen is enduring. That is not going to go away.”

“While I certainly appreciate and desire long-range kill chains, there will be vulnerabilities with data paths in whatever we do. I think there’s organic capability that is always going to be important and required for us to have,” he added, speaking more generally. “It’s difficult to predict how a fight is going to go or what capabilities that we will have to face, but our ability to sense our environment organically and to be able to employ [capabilities] based off that information is, I think, a requirement – step one for anything that we do going forward.”

“The long-range kill chain, tremendously important, but if that goes away or is affected or impacted somehow, we have to be able to do what we do based on the information that we can generate ourselves,” he added.

Gen. Schneider noted in passing here in this context that he agreed with Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach’s assessment that the MQ-9 Reaper has been a key asset in the current conflict with Iran, despite heavy combat losses. “I have desires and designs on that platform, as well, for use in the Pacific.”

It should be pointed out here that the Air Force is now pursuing yet another effort to acquire a direct MQ-9 replacement, with a heavy emphasis on lower costs and modular capabilities, as you can read more about here. This is distinctly separate from the CCA program.

Overall, during today’s talk, Gen. Schneider made clear that a mix of capabilities, and flexible concepts of operations, will be essential for success in future conflicts, especially across the broad expanses of the Pacific. In that context, CCAs and close cooperation with allies and partners, including drones they operate, like MQ-28, will be especially vital.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

The Australian Army has shared photos showing one of its M1A2 Abrams outfitted as a surrogate enemy platform, specifically to represent a People’s Liberation Army main battle tank. Vehicles meant to visually reflect an adversarial platform are a regular feature of exercises involving an Opposing Force (OPFOR). The depiction also reflects Australia’s growing emphasis on preparing for high-end conflict in the Indo-Pacific, and an Australian Defense Force that’s increasingly focusing its training and force structure on the challenges posed by China’s rapidly expanding military capabilities.

The photos were published on the Facebook account of the Australian Army’s School of Armor. Located at the Puckapunyal Military Area in Victoria, southeastern Australia, this serves as the army’s center of excellence for mounted combat and armored fighting vehicle training.

According to the school, this specific tank was prepared by soldiers from B Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment, as part of the OPFOR element for the Royal Australian Armored Corps Officer Basic Course (ROBC), which includes field training assessments. The latest ROBC will culminate in Exercise Tungsten Forge/Gauntlet Strike, a combined-arms tactical training exercise, and a capstone event for junior officers learning mechanized warfare and tank command. “Good luck to the junior officers as they attempt to outmaneuver a seasoned enemy commander,” the School of Armor declared in the caption accompanying the photos.

The most obvious aspect of the M1A2 Abrams’ transformation is its People’s Liberation Army-style ‘digital’ camouflage scheme, with prominent blocks in four colors — including bright green — over the standard three-tone camouflage. The tank is also fitted with dummy external fuel tanks on the rear of the turret. These are a common feature of Russian and Chinese tank designs, albeit fitted on the rear of the hull, something that’s not possible on the Abrams due to the exhaust outlet.

The end result is an Abrams that’s visually similar to a Type 99, China’s first mass-produced third-generation main battle tank, and the most important in the People’s Liberation Army inventory.

It’s noteworthy, too, that the Abrams’ turret side appears to have the slogan ‘Bing Chilling’ applied. This should be a reference to a video-based meme in which wrestler and actor John Cena is shown saying ‘ice cream’ in Mandarin — words that can be phonetically written as ‘Bing Chilling.’

Overall, the primary objective of surrogate platforms like these is to replicate the visual appearance of potential adversary vehicles, not their exact capabilities or configurations. These surrogate platforms are designed as stand-ins rather than one-for-one copies of foreign equipment. Fielding visually representative vehicles during OPFOR exercises adds an extra layer of realism to training, helping troops practice target recognition, vehicle identification, and other battlefield observation skills under more authentic conditions.

It is possible that the Abrams will additionally be fitted with training devices designed to simulate the firing capabilities and vulnerability of specific adversary vehicles. This can be done using tools like the Instrumentable-Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (I-MILES), a laser-based training aid.

Under a roughly $2.5-billion deal, Australia is getting 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, together with armored support vehicles. The Abrams are being procured under the Main Battle Tank Upgrade, formally known as LAND 907 Phase 2, and the U.S. government approved the sale of these new vehicles to Australia via Foreign Military Sales channels in 2021. Meanwhile, Canberra agreed to provide Ukraine with 49 of its older M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks.

The M1A2 SEPv3 — or System Enhancement Program version 3 — was developed by the U.S. Army to address lessons learned during fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and represents a major advance over the Australian Army’s previous M1A1 (AIM) variants, 59 of which were acquired second-hand from the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The first of the new tanks were delivered to Australia in 2024.

The fact that the Australian Abrams is very much a frontline vehicle, available in limited numbers, explains the cosmetic nature of the OPFOR version. After the exercise is completed, it can be rapidly returned to its normal configuration.

This separates it from more bespoke surrogate enemy platforms, like those used by the U.S. Army’s National Training Center, for example, which relies on visually modified (VISMOD) M113 and Humvee-type vehicles to field surrogate Russian-made T-72s and BTR-90s, among others.

It is not clear whether the Australian Army’s School of Armor has prepared additional Abrams as surrogates, but it does describe “in-service armored fighting vehicles” (plural) as having been adapted. Depending on the scale of the exercise, other candidates might include Chinese infantry fighting vehicles or self-propelled artillery.

At the same time, the People’s Liberation Army is also preparing for a potential conflict by training with surrogate platforms that represent a Western enemy. This is part of a much wider Chinese military investment in replicas and advanced training centers.

Last year, TWZ reported on China’s use of trucks designed to mimic the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), soon after the first examples of the U.S.-made system were delivered to Taiwan. The surrogate vehicles were painted in Republic of Taiwan Army-style camouflage. HIMARS is also used by the Australian Army.

Wherever they are being used, surrogate vehicles give training centers a cost-effective way to replicate foreign military equipment without acquiring and maintaining actual allied or adversary vehicles. Whether elaborate or more rudimentary, VISMODs provide a greater degree of visual realism, while their performance and other capabilities can increasingly be simulated digitally during exercises.

At the same time, platforms chosen as surrogates also offer a snapshot of the strategic priorities and perceived threats of the era.

In this case, the ‘Chinese-look’ Abrams reflects how Australia’s defense posture has shifted significantly in recent years toward preparing for the prospect of high-end conflict in the Indo-Pacific, with China’s expanding military capabilities serving as the principal driver.

In its 2023 Defense Strategic Review and subsequent National Defense Strategy, the Australian government placed greater emphasis on deterrence by denial, long-range strike, and the ability to operate alongside the United States and regional partners.

While Canberra tends to avoid explicitly identifying Beijing as an adversary, Australia’s force modernization — including the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS, long-range and hypersonic missiles, enhanced northern basing — is clearly oriented toward countering the challenges posed by the People’s Liberation Army in a potential Indo-Pacific contingency. Increasingly realistic exercises centered on peer threats, such as Chinese tanks, provide further evidence of this.

Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com

Kerr signs with the NWSL champions until 2030, returning to the US league after six years spent with Chelsea in England.

Australian striker Sam Kerr has signed with Gotham ⁠FC, the ⁠reigning champions of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States, the club announced after the iconic player ended her dazzling career with Chelsea, which saw her ⁠win five Women’s Super League titles.

Kerr, who was a free agent, signed the contract on Monday that will see her play in New York through the 2030 season. She previously played ‌in the city between 2015 and 2017.

The all-time leading regular-season goal-scorer for the North American league recorded ⁠116 goals across all competitions with Chelsea and was the 2023 Ballon d’Or runner-up.

“This club was an important part of my journey, and to come back at this moment, with everything Gotham has built, is really special. The ambition here is clear, and I’m looking forward to helping this team ⁠compete for trophies and create more ⁠history,” Kerr said in a statement.

The signing is a fine coup for the NWSL, which saw several players exit for opportunities in Europe ⁠last year, and brings one of the game’s brightest talents to the ⁠biggest sports market in the US.

“Sam is one of the defining players of her generation and a game-changing talent who has consistently delivered at the highest levels of ‌world football,” Yael Averbuch West, the president of football operations for Gotham, said.

“Bringing Sam back to Gotham is ‌a ‌landmark moment for our club, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

Kerr played 119 career regular-season games (113 starts) across her seven seasons with three ⁠teams in the NWSL, including three years with Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) from 2015 to 2017.

After playing the 2018 season with the Chicago Red Stars, Kerr played a season for the Perth Glory ⁠in her native Australia (2018-19) before returning to Chicago in 2019. She joined Chelsea in the Women’s Super League in late 2019.

Despite her six-and-a-half-year absence, her 77 regular-season goals are still an NWSL record. In 2017, she won the Golden Boot and MVP awards with Sky Blue FC after a season in ‌which she scored 17 goals in 22 games.

Kerr will debut for Gotham after the NWSL’s transfer window opens on July ⁠14. Gotham host the Washington Spirit on July 15 in the Queens Classic in New York.

Australian national Simon Peter Carman has been charged with murder after the body of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla was found inside a suitcase. CCTV footage appears to show the pair entering a hotel together and Carman leaving hours later with only a suitcase.

The airport confirmed that it was notified of a bomb threat on a plane and it has been evacuated as emergency services are carrying out investigations

An Australian airport has been evacuated due to a ‘bomb threat’ on board an arriving plane.

Dubbo Airport, in New South Wales, 400km from Sydney, was evacuated on Monday morning (June 29) due to the threat.

All passengers on board the plane have safely disembarked.

Emergency services are carrying out investigations into the threat.

A council statement said: “Dubbo Regional Council was notified of a bomb threat on a plane destined for Dubbo this morning.

“The plane has landed safely and all 74 passengers and crew have disembarked. Further investigations are underway by relevant emergency services.

“The Dubbo Regional Airport terminal has been evacuated and is currently closed.