Boeing chooses Australia for first final assembly facility to build Loyal Wingman

Boeing announced this week it has selected Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia as the site for the company’s first aircraft assembly facility outside of North America.

Boeing Australia will establish the facility in the Wellcamp Aerospace and Defence Precinct at Wellcamp Airport to produce and assemble the Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft system. The aircraft made its first flight in February 2021.

The Loyal Wingman serves as the foundation for Boeing's Airpower Teaming System, which the company is adapting for the U.S. Air Force's Skyborg program and other international customers. The 38-foot aircraft will eventually employ artificial intelligence to collaborate with manned aircraft flying nearby.

In March, Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force announced they had successfully flown the Loyal Wingman drone for the first time and signed a deal to co-develop another three aircraft and advance its capabilities for manned-unmanned teaming.

In choosing Wellcamp Airport, Boeing has “taken an important step towards delivering their purpose-built final assembly facility," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in a statement.

"This has the potential to greatly improve our state’s advanced manufacturing capability and help shape a workforce of Queenslanders with the skills to build some of the world’s most cutting-edge aircraft."

Treasurer and Minister for Investment Cameron Dick said this week's announcement reinforced the strength of the state’s almost 25-year relationship with Boeing.

“This announcement follows our success with Australia’s first commercial drone flight testing facility at Cloncurry Airport last December, of which Boeing was a first user," Dicks said. "It’s the result of an arrangement our government entered into with Boeing Australia last year to support the establishment of the primary final assembly facility for the Boeing Loyal Wingman here in Queensland, subject to defense orders. It’s expected the project could generate up to $1 billion dollars for Queensland’s economy over 10 years, with more than just defense industries to benefit."

The uncrewed aircraft is designed to operate as a team, using artificial intelligence to extend the capabilities of crewed and uncrewed platforms.