The US Navy’s new MQ-25A Stingray drone built to extend the reach of carrier fighter jets just took its first test flight

• The Navy and Boeing conducted the first test flight of the MQ-25A Stingray over the weekend.

• Stingray is a drone designed for aerial refueling.

• The drone will eventually extend the range of crewed aircraft, freeing up planes for combat.

The service announced that a new U.S. Navy carrier-based drone for refueling aircraft has begun flight testing with the first flight of a production representative aircraft, a significant step toward bringing crewless systems into the refueling role.

Navy says MQ-25A Stingray It is the first operational carrier-based uncrewed aircraft system. The Stingray’s first test flight, operated by Boeing, brings it closer to carrier operations, and the refueling mission is expected to expand the reach of crewed aircraft. The Stingray’s entry into service timeline has been delayed repeatedly.

The Navy and Boeing announced the first test flight on Monday. The 25 April test was not the first flight of the MQ-25 concept, but it was the first test of an aircraft representative of production as the Navy began formal flight tests before final service.

Over the weekend, the MQ-25A flew for about two hours at Boeing’s facility in Illinois and was controlled by Navy and Boeing aircraft pilots through a ground control system. During the flight, the Stingray performed various maneuvers and tests and demonstrated flight controls and navigation.

“Today’s successful flight builds on years of learning from our MQ-25A T1 prototype and represents a major maturation of the program,” Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Air Dominance, said in a news release. he said.

The naval service’s Stingray is a planned crewless replacement for the ship. F/A-18E/F Super HornetAir-to-air refueling role within carrier air wings. The Navy said the drone’s mission will help extend the aircraft’s operational range, freeing them to focus on combat and surveillance roles.

The MQ-25 can carry up to 15,000 pounds of fuel and help the Navy rethink its ranges. aircraft carriers and warriors as China’s growing arsenal anti-ship missiles It threatens US naval forces.

“The MQ-25A is not just an aircraft,” said Rear Adm. Tony Rossi, head of the unmanned aviation and strike weapons program executive office, according to the Navy’s press release.

“This is the first step in integrating unmanned aerial refueling onto the carrier deck, allowing our directly manned fighters to fly farther and faster. This capability is vital to the future of naval aviation,” he said.

The Navy began work on the MQ-25 in 2016, selecting Boeing for production in 2018, and the Navy and Boeing flew a test asset for the first time the following year. The latest flight test is the first for the MQ-25A, an aircraft with a production design that differs from the previous MQ-25 T1 test asset.

The MQ-25 T1 test drone previously demonstrated refueling capabilities in 2021; He was flying in front of an F/A-18 and came within 20 feet of the aircraft, extending the hose and drogue to attach to the fighter jet to transfer fuel.

The service has suffered several delays and cost increases on Stingray, which was originally expected to be operational in 2024 but will now enter service later this decade.

Read the original article Business Content