Pictured is a U.S. Air Force photo of an HC-130J Combat King II with the 79th Rescue Squadron taking off behind an MQ-28 Ghost Bat, a production representative test aircraft by Boeing Defence Australia, during Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 at Rota, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, on June 21.

As the U.S. Air Force continues to fund the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Anduril Industries, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) said that it is integrating Boeing's [BA] MQ-28 Ghost Bat with U.S. and allies during this month's Exercise Valiant Shield. "This marks a significant milestone in the operational development of CCA and the advancement of human-machine teaming in the Indo-Pacific theater," according to PACAF. "During the exercise, the uncrewed MQ-28 will…