The US Navy has confirmed that Boeing’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial refueling aircraft will begin flight testing in 2025 and is set to integrate with an aircraft carrier in 2026. The announcement was made by Vice Admiral Daniel Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces, during an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the US Naval Institute in Washington, D.C.
The Navy plans to procure 76 MQ-25 units at an estimated cost of $13 billion, making the type a standard element of future carrier air wings. This move will relieve the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet from the burden of buddy-tanker missions, allowing them to focus on strike and air defense roles while extending their service life.
The MQ-25 program has already demonstrated progress. Boeing’s T1 prototype flew in 2019, successfully refueled Super Hornets, F-35C Lightning II fighters, and E-2D Hawkeyes in 2021, and completed deck handling trials aboard USS George H.W. Bush the same year. The ship was also outfitted with the first MD-5E ground control station, forming the foundation for the Navy’s future Unmanned Air Warfare Center.
Designed specifically for carrier operations, the Stingray measures 15.5 meters in length, has a 22.9-meter wingspan (9.5 meters folded), and is powered by a Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan engine. It is capable of delivering 7,250 kilograms (15,000 pounds) of fuel at a range of 930 kilometers, enough to refuel four to six aircraft in a single mission. While initially focused on refueling, the platform is expected to expand into reconnaissance and potentially long-range strike roles in the future.
The first operational deployment is planned aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt in 2026, with integration to follow on Ford-class carriers. The MQ-25 will mark a pivotal step in incorporating uncrewed systems into carrier air wings, paving the way for manned-unmanned teaming in future naval aviation.
