The F-15EX Eagle II and MQ-28 Ghost Bat executed their first operational flight together over the Philippine Sea during Valiant Shield 26, transitioning manned-unmanned teaming from concept to reality in the Indo-Pacific. Assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, the F-15EX leveraged its command-and-control architecture to direct the AI-enabled MQ-28, extending combat reach and enhancing pilot survivability against contested threats. This pairing validates crewed-uncrewed viability for future air combat, directly influencing defense procurement and drone integration strategies across NATO and allied operators. The MQ-28 acted as a force multiplier, proving its role as a loyal wingman controller while refining tactics for multi-domain human-machine teaming in high-end coalition environments.