U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday announced plans to build a new type of drone military aircraft in Australia.
Boeing said it had selected Toowoomba city in Queensland State as the final assembly point for its unmanned Loyal Wingman planes. The first test flights were completed earlier this year. The announcement comes less than a week after the U.S., Britain and Australia announced a new security alliance that will supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The deal was condemned by China and has heightened tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
Scott Carpendale, managing director of Boeing Defence Australia, said development of the new aircraft is going to plan.
He said it uses artificial intelligence to operate in tandem with manned aircraft and was conceived, designed and developed in Australia. It’s the first military combat aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia in half a century.
