MQ-25 Stingray

The MQ‑25 Stingray is a carrier‑based unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Boeing for the United States Navy. Program roots trace back to 2010 when the Navy issued the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) requirement, later refocused on aerial refueling. Boeing was awarded the contract in 2018, and the first flight occurred in 2020, marking the first jet‑powered UAV to launch from an aircraft carrier. The Stingray is powered by a single Rolls‑Royce AE 3007 turbofan delivering about 9,800 pounds of thrust, enabling a maximum speed of roughly Mach 0.6 and an endurance of 12 hours with a 15‑ton fuel payload. Its high‑wing design, retractable landing gear, and Boeing’s Advanced Composite Airframe technology provide a low radar signature and robust carrier‑deck handling. Primary mission is to extend the range of carrier strike fighters such as the F/A‑18E/F and F‑35C by delivering up to 15,000 pounds of fuel in the air, while secondary roles include intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike. The MQ‑25 represents the Navy’s first operational autonomous tanker, a pivotal step toward a future fleet of unmanned combat aircraft that will reshape carrier operations and increase sortie generation without adding manned platforms.

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