Boeing and the U.S. Navy have completed the first flight of an operational MQ-25A Stingray uncrewed aircraft, marking a step toward integrating the platform into carrier operations. The aircraft conducted a roughly two-hour mission from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, demonstrating autonomous taxi, takeoff, flight and landing, along with command and control through a ground control station. According to Boeing, the flight also evaluated navigation systems and integration with mission control systems as part of ongoing development testing.
“Today’s successful flight builds on years of learning from our MQ-25A T1 prototype and represents a major maturation of the program,” said Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Air Dominance. “The MQ-25A is the most complex autonomous system ever developed for the carrier environment, and this historic achievement advances us closer to safely integrating the Stingray into the carrier air wing.”
The MQ-25A is intended to provide aerial refueling for carrier-based aircraft, allowing platforms such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet to shift from tanker duties back to primary mission roles. Boeing said additional test flights are planned in Illinois before the aircraft transitions to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland for further testing, including preparations for carrier-based operations.
“The first flight of the MQ-25A is a landmark achievement for the Navy-Boeing team and a critical step toward the future of the carrier air wing,” said Rear Adm. Tony Rossi, program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons. “This flight demonstrates our progress in delivering a carrier-based refueling capability that will significantly extend the reach and lethality of our fleet.”
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