{"slug": "boeings-new-ai-warplane-is-fueling-a-military-arms-race", "title": "Boeing’s new AI warplane is fueling a military arms race", "summary": "Boeing, General Atomics, and Anduril Industries are competing to develop AI-powered fighter drones, with Boeing's Ghost Bat having completed over 100 test flights. The U.S. Air Force plans to select a lead contractor by summer 2027 and acquire over 150 combat-ready drones by the end of the decade, aiming for widespread deployment by the mid-2030s.", "body_md": "# Boeing’s new AI warplane is fueling a military arms race\n\n- A fierce competition is underway among defense giants like Boeing, General Atomics, and Anduril Industries to develop the next generation of AI-powered fighter drones.\n- At the Farnborough Airshow, Boeing showcased its flight-ready Ghost Bat combat drone, while General Atomics and Anduril unveiled full-scale models of their uncrewed aircraft.\n- These autonomous drones are designed to operate as 'wingmen' alongside manned fighter jets, with the U.S. Air Force expecting them to be significantly cheaper than F-35s.\n- Boeing claims a lead with its Ghost Bat, which has completed over 100 test flights and participated in a multinational military exercise, while rivals assert they are rapidly closing the gap.\n- The U.S. Air Force plans to select a lead contractor by summer 2027 and aims to acquire over 150 combat-ready drones before the end of the decade, with widespread deployment anticipated by the mid-2030s.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/boeings-new-ai-warplane-is-fueling-a-military-arms-race", "canonical_source": "https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/boeing-ghost-bat-ai-drones-us-air-force-b3019580.html", "published_at": "2026-07-22 13:51:40+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-22 14:05:36.572313+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "autonomous-vehicles", "ai-policy", "ai-products"], "entities": ["Boeing", "General Atomics", "Anduril Industries", "Ghost Bat", "U.S. Air Force", "F-35"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/boeings-new-ai-warplane-is-fueling-a-military-arms-race", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/boeings-new-ai-warplane-is-fueling-a-military-arms-race.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/boeings-new-ai-warplane-is-fueling-a-military-arms-race.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/boeings-new-ai-warplane-is-fueling-a-military-arms-race.jsonld"}}