US Navy to deploy first MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone in 2026 to help aircraft carriers strike from longer range
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As reported by FlightGlobal on August 27, 2025, the US Navy confirmed that the first Boeing MQ-25 Stingray autonomous aerial refueling aircraft is scheduled to fly in 2025 and begin integration with a carrier in 2026. Vice Admiral Daniel Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces, made the announcement during an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)’ Defense & Security Department and the U.S. Naval Institute in Washington, D.C. The discussion, moderated by retired Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spicer, examined how the Navy must prepare its aviation to remain competitive amid technological change, strategic challenges, and evolving maritime requirements.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The US Navy plans to acquire 76 MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tankers at about $13 billion, positioning the type as a standard component of future air wings, to relieve Super Hornets from the buddy-tanker duty that currently absorbs a significant share of sorties. (Picture source: Boeing)
The MQ-25 program has already seen progress through earlier tests using Boeing’s prototype known as T1, which first flew in 2019, demonstrated aerial refueling of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, F-35C Lightning II fighters, and E-2D Hawkeyes in 2021, and participated in deck handling tests aboard the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in the same year. The Navy subsequently equipped the Bush with the first Lockheed Martin MD-5E ground control station to support MQ-25 operations as the core of the carrier’s new Unmanned Air Warfare Center. This system will be central to routine uncrewed aircraft operations on carriers, beginning with the MQ-25 and eventually expanding to future platforms.
The Navy and Boeing have also used simulations to integrate the MQ-25 with the Joint Precision Approach Landing System, a Raytheon-developed technology first designed to support automated carrier landings of the F-35B. While preparations continue, production challenges remain. Assembly at Boeing’s facility in Mascoutah, Illinois, has been halted due to a machinists’ strike in the St. Louis area that has also affected other lines, including the F-15EX, F/A-18E/F, and T-7A. This stoppage has lasted a month with no resolution reported and raises questions about potential impacts on the MQ-25 test and delivery schedule. In addition, the program’s early engineering development models have been undergoing static ground testing, with EDM-3 slated to be the first to fly, followed by EDM-2. These aircraft are separate from the Boeing-owned T1 prototype that has already completed multiple test flights and refueling demonstrations.
The US Navy has framed the MQ-25 as a solution to the limitations of its current aerial refueling method. At present, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets conduct “buddy tanker” missions, using fuel tanks to extend the range and endurance of other aircraft in the carrier air wing. This approach takes away combat aircraft from strike and air defense roles, while increasing strain on Super Hornet airframes. The MQ-25 is expected to take over this mission, freeing strike fighters for operational use and reducing wear on their service life. Cheever emphasized this shift, stating that the ability to allow strike fighters to focus on combat rather than tanking is a central advantage of the Stingray. By replacing the Super Hornet’s tanker role, the MQ-25 is intended to expand the combat power available to a carrier strike group without requiring an increase in fighter numbers.
Beyond its immediate tanker role, the MQ-25 is regarded as a foundational step toward introducing uncrewed aircraft into carrier air wings. The Navy has said the Stingray will be the first operational test case for manned-unmanned teaming on a carrier, an approach in which uncrewed systems operate alongside manned fighters during deployments. Cheever described this as “the key that unlocks” the future integration of collaborative combat aircraft, referring to the US Air Force program developing autonomous fighter-sized drones to operate with manned aircraft. Navy leaders envision future carrier air wings combining fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation manned fighters with multiple types of uncrewed aircraft. This concept builds on previous demonstrations such as pairing P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft with MQ-4C Triton UAVs in maritime surveillance roles, showing how manned and unmanned systems can operate in coordination.
The origins of the MQ-25 can be traced to the US Navy’s efforts in the early 2000s to field a carrier-based unmanned aircraft. Initially framed under the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program, the objective was to produce a stealthy strike platform capable of operating in heavily defended environments. By 2012, this ambition was reduced to emphasize surveillance and reconnaissance, with strike functions deferred due to budget and technical concerns. In 2016, the Navy restructured the project into the Carrier-Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS), identifying an urgent operational need to extend the range of carrier aircraft. The refueling mission was chosen to reduce the burden on F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, which at that time were performing up to 30 percent of their sorties as tankers. Boeing entered this new competition with a wing-body-tail design that leveraged earlier work on the Phantom Ray and other unmanned demonstrators. The company was awarded an $805 million contract in 2018 for four engineering and manufacturing development aircraft, with three additional test examples added later.
The MQ-25 Stingray will have dimensions comparable to certain manned carrier aircraft, with a length of 15.5 meters, a wingspan of 22.9 meters when extended and 9.5 meters folded for carrier deck operations, and a height of 3 meters with wings extended and 4.8 meters folded. The aircraft is powered by a Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan engine producing more than 44 kilonewtons of thrust, a derivative of the engine used on the MQ-4C Triton. Performance requirements specify the delivery of approximately 7,250 kilograms (15,000 pounds) of fuel at a range of 930 kilometers, sufficient to refuel four to six aircraft during a mission. The airframe includes two underwing hardpoints, primarily intended for refueling pods, but tests and model images have shown the ability to accommodate other payloads such as long-range anti-ship missiles. The Navy has projected a total of 76 production aircraft at a program cost of around $13 billion, with initial operational capability targeted for 2027 following integration on carriers beginning in 2026.
In terms of design, the MQ-25 combines proven engineering solutions with features tailored for carrier operations. The wing-body-tail layout provides aerodynamic stability while supporting fuel storage capacity for its tanker mission. Stealth considerations are incorporated through shaping of the fuselage, a flush-mounted engine intake to reduce radar visibility of compressor blades, and a V-tail configuration. The aircraft’s size, similar in length to the F/A-18 and in wingspan to the E-2D Hawkeye, ensures it can use carrier elevators and be stowed in hangars without modifications to existing ship infrastructure. In addition to the refueling role, Boeing has displayed configurations of the MQ-25 equipped with an electro-optical sensor turret under the nose and AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles on its hardpoints. These options illustrate the potential for future mission expansion beyond tanker duties, supported by the Navy’s spiral development approach that envisions intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and limited strike capabilities being added progressively once the aircraft achieves stable integration into carrier air wings.
The Nimitz-class USS George H.W. Bush has been the first carrier to work with the MQ-25, serving as the initial test platform for deck handling and the first to be outfitted with the MD-5E ground control station. Among other aircraft carriers, the US Navy has also previously named USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as another early candidate to host the Stingray’s control systems, and more recent planning has linked USS Theodore Roosevelt to the aircraft’s first operational deployment in 2026. In parallel, officials have noted that USS John F. Kennedy will reach sea trials around the same time as MQ-25 integration begins, highlighting how the platform’s introduction overlaps with the commissioning of new carriers. Longer-term, the Navy has confirmed future Ford-class carriers, including CVN-82 William J. Clinton and CVN-83 George W. Bush as part of procurement planning that will ensure the MQ-25 becomes a permanent element of carrier air wings across both Nimitz and Ford-class ships.
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As reported by FlightGlobal on August 27, 2025, the US Navy confirmed that the first Boeing MQ-25 Stingray autonomous aerial refueling aircraft is scheduled to fly in 2025 and begin integration with a carrier in 2026. Vice Admiral Daniel Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces, made the announcement during an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)’ Defense & Security Department and the U.S. Naval Institute in Washington, D.C. The discussion, moderated by retired Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spicer, examined how the Navy must prepare its aviation to remain competitive amid technological change, strategic challenges, and evolving maritime requirements.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The US Navy plans to acquire 76 MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tankers at about $13 billion, positioning the type as a standard component of future air wings, to relieve Super Hornets from the buddy-tanker duty that currently absorbs a significant share of sorties. (Picture source: Boeing)
The MQ-25 program has already seen progress through earlier tests using Boeing’s prototype known as T1, which first flew in 2019, demonstrated aerial refueling of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, F-35C Lightning II fighters, and E-2D Hawkeyes in 2021, and participated in deck handling tests aboard the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in the same year. The Navy subsequently equipped the Bush with the first Lockheed Martin MD-5E ground control station to support MQ-25 operations as the core of the carrier’s new Unmanned Air Warfare Center. This system will be central to routine uncrewed aircraft operations on carriers, beginning with the MQ-25 and eventually expanding to future platforms.
The Navy and Boeing have also used simulations to integrate the MQ-25 with the Joint Precision Approach Landing System, a Raytheon-developed technology first designed to support automated carrier landings of the F-35B. While preparations continue, production challenges remain. Assembly at Boeing’s facility in Mascoutah, Illinois, has been halted due to a machinists’ strike in the St. Louis area that has also affected other lines, including the F-15EX, F/A-18E/F, and T-7A. This stoppage has lasted a month with no resolution reported and raises questions about potential impacts on the MQ-25 test and delivery schedule. In addition, the program’s early engineering development models have been undergoing static ground testing, with EDM-3 slated to be the first to fly, followed by EDM-2. These aircraft are separate from the Boeing-owned T1 prototype that has already completed multiple test flights and refueling demonstrations.
The US Navy has framed the MQ-25 as a solution to the limitations of its current aerial refueling method. At present, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets conduct “buddy tanker” missions, using fuel tanks to extend the range and endurance of other aircraft in the carrier air wing. This approach takes away combat aircraft from strike and air defense roles, while increasing strain on Super Hornet airframes. The MQ-25 is expected to take over this mission, freeing strike fighters for operational use and reducing wear on their service life. Cheever emphasized this shift, stating that the ability to allow strike fighters to focus on combat rather than tanking is a central advantage of the Stingray. By replacing the Super Hornet’s tanker role, the MQ-25 is intended to expand the combat power available to a carrier strike group without requiring an increase in fighter numbers.
Beyond its immediate tanker role, the MQ-25 is regarded as a foundational step toward introducing uncrewed aircraft into carrier air wings. The Navy has said the Stingray will be the first operational test case for manned-unmanned teaming on a carrier, an approach in which uncrewed systems operate alongside manned fighters during deployments. Cheever described this as “the key that unlocks” the future integration of collaborative combat aircraft, referring to the US Air Force program developing autonomous fighter-sized drones to operate with manned aircraft. Navy leaders envision future carrier air wings combining fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation manned fighters with multiple types of uncrewed aircraft. This concept builds on previous demonstrations such as pairing P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft with MQ-4C Triton UAVs in maritime surveillance roles, showing how manned and unmanned systems can operate in coordination.
The origins of the MQ-25 can be traced to the US Navy’s efforts in the early 2000s to field a carrier-based unmanned aircraft. Initially framed under the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program, the objective was to produce a stealthy strike platform capable of operating in heavily defended environments. By 2012, this ambition was reduced to emphasize surveillance and reconnaissance, with strike functions deferred due to budget and technical concerns. In 2016, the Navy restructured the project into the Carrier-Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS), identifying an urgent operational need to extend the range of carrier aircraft. The refueling mission was chosen to reduce the burden on F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, which at that time were performing up to 30 percent of their sorties as tankers. Boeing entered this new competition with a wing-body-tail design that leveraged earlier work on the Phantom Ray and other unmanned demonstrators. The company was awarded an $805 million contract in 2018 for four engineering and manufacturing development aircraft, with three additional test examples added later.
The MQ-25 Stingray will have dimensions comparable to certain manned carrier aircraft, with a length of 15.5 meters, a wingspan of 22.9 meters when extended and 9.5 meters folded for carrier deck operations, and a height of 3 meters with wings extended and 4.8 meters folded. The aircraft is powered by a Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan engine producing more than 44 kilonewtons of thrust, a derivative of the engine used on the MQ-4C Triton. Performance requirements specify the delivery of approximately 7,250 kilograms (15,000 pounds) of fuel at a range of 930 kilometers, sufficient to refuel four to six aircraft during a mission. The airframe includes two underwing hardpoints, primarily intended for refueling pods, but tests and model images have shown the ability to accommodate other payloads such as long-range anti-ship missiles. The Navy has projected a total of 76 production aircraft at a program cost of around $13 billion, with initial operational capability targeted for 2027 following integration on carriers beginning in 2026.
In terms of design, the MQ-25 combines proven engineering solutions with features tailored for carrier operations. The wing-body-tail layout provides aerodynamic stability while supporting fuel storage capacity for its tanker mission. Stealth considerations are incorporated through shaping of the fuselage, a flush-mounted engine intake to reduce radar visibility of compressor blades, and a V-tail configuration. The aircraft’s size, similar in length to the F/A-18 and in wingspan to the E-2D Hawkeye, ensures it can use carrier elevators and be stowed in hangars without modifications to existing ship infrastructure. In addition to the refueling role, Boeing has displayed configurations of the MQ-25 equipped with an electro-optical sensor turret under the nose and AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles on its hardpoints. These options illustrate the potential for future mission expansion beyond tanker duties, supported by the Navy’s spiral development approach that envisions intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and limited strike capabilities being added progressively once the aircraft achieves stable integration into carrier air wings.
The Nimitz-class USS George H.W. Bush has been the first carrier to work with the MQ-25, serving as the initial test platform for deck handling and the first to be outfitted with the MD-5E ground control station. Among other aircraft carriers, the US Navy has also previously named USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as another early candidate to host the Stingray’s control systems, and more recent planning has linked USS Theodore Roosevelt to the aircraft’s first operational deployment in 2026. In parallel, officials have noted that USS John F. Kennedy will reach sea trials around the same time as MQ-25 integration begins, highlighting how the platform’s introduction overlaps with the commissioning of new carriers. Longer-term, the Navy has confirmed future Ford-class carriers, including CVN-82 William J. Clinton and CVN-83 George W. Bush as part of procurement planning that will ensure the MQ-25 becomes a permanent element of carrier air wings across both Nimitz and Ford-class ships.
