'Not just an aircraft': US Navy MQ-25 Stingray drone hit a major milestone with maiden flight largest US UAV ever built set to become world's first autonomous tanker to take flight from an aircraft carrier and maybe feature
in a Top Gun movie one day

Date:
Wed, 06 May 2026 23:35:00 +0000

Description:
US Navys massive MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone completes maiden flight, marking critical progress toward autonomous carrier refueling.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Autonomous tanker drone completed two-hour maiden flight validating core flight systems MQ-25A will replace fighter jets in aerial refueling role aboard carriers Further testing planned before transition to carrier qualification operations in Maryland The US Navys MQ-25A Stingray autonomous tanker drone, the services first operational unmanned aerial refueler, has completed its maiden flight .

The two-hour test took place over southern Illinois, where the aircraft carried out a series of maneuvers to validate its basic flight controls and onboard operations. During the mission, the drone followed a predetermined plan which saw it taxi, take off, fly, and land autonomously, all triggered through commands issued from the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System MD-5 Ground Control Station. Article continues below You may like Chinook helicopter completes its first fully autonomous landing New $5 laser system could protect US Navy ships from drone swarms Massive autonomous cargo drone completes 75-mile mountain delivery of fresh tea Navy plans autonomous operations Air Vehicle Pilots set the route and defined waypoints before launch, then monitored performance throughout the flight and retained the ability to abort or adjust the mission if required.

The aircraft handled propulsion, guidance, subsystems, and flight controls on its own once the mission began, showing how the U.S. Navy plans to run autonomous operations while keeping human oversight in the loop.

Todays 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, 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. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get
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The Stingray fills a very specific gap in carrier operations, taking over the aerial refueling role that currently falls to F/A-18 Super Hornets, and freeing them to return to strike and combat roles.

Rear Adm. Tony Rossi, the U.S. Navys program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons, said, The MQ-25A is not just an aircraft: its
the first step in integrating unmanned aerial refueling onto the carrier
deck, directly enabling our manned fighters to fly further and faster.

Earlier testing using the MQ-25A T1 prototype helped lay the groundwork for this flight, with that earlier demonstrator logging roughly 125 flight hours to prove the concept before production aircraft took over.

DefenseScoop reports the test also validated the Rolls-Royce AE 3007N engine and confirmed integration with the ground control system that operators will rely on once the aircraft moves into carrier testing.

More test flights are scheduled from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport before the aircraft transitions to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, where preparations for aircraft carrier qualification flights will begin. MQ-25A Stingray First Flight - YouTube Watch On Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/not-just-an-aircraft-us-navy-mq-25-stingray-dron e-hit-a-major-milestone-with-maiden-flight-largest-us-uav-ever-built-set-to-be come-worlds-first-autonomous-tanker-to-take-flight-from-an-aircraft-carrier-an d-maybe-feature-in-a-top-gun-movie-one-day


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