US Navy’s unmanned MQ-25A Stingray notches first successful test flight

The U.S. Navy’s premier operational unmanned carrier-based aircraft completed its first test flight on Saturday, the sea service announced.

The MQ-25A Stingray launched from Boeing’s facility at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, and flew for about two hours, according to a Navy release.

Navy and Boeing Air Vehicle Pilots controlled the MQ-25A Stingray during its test flight from the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System MD-5 Ground Control Station.

The pilots conducted a series of tests to validate the aircraft’s basic flight controls, engine performance and handling features, the release stated.

As an aerial refueling tanker, the MQ-25A is designed to assume the refueling mission from crewed fighters with the goal of boosting the combat range and strike capability of the carrier air wing, per the statement.

The MQ-25A is “the first step in integrating unmanned aerial refueling onto the carrier deck, directly enabling our manned fighters to fly further and faster,” Rear Adm. Tony Rossi, who oversees the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, said in the release.

Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets currently performing the aerial refueling role would, as the Stingray goes operational, be allowed to focus on main tasks as multi-role strike fighters, according to a Boeing release.

Boeing posted a video on Monday of the MQ-25A’s flight and said that the aircraft demonstrated its ability to taxi, take off, fly and land autonomously. The Stingray successfully completed a predetermined mission plan, per Boeing’s release.

The Navy statement said that later this year the MQ-25A will conduct its ferry flight to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. In the meantime, the service and Boeing will complete more test flights in Illinois to further test the Stingray’s flight controls and capabilities, the Boeing release said.

The Stingray is the first of four Engineering Development Model aircraft that will be delivered to the Navy under a $805 million contract.

The Navy announced in 2018 that Boeing was awarded this contract as part of the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike program, which is meant for aerial refueling as well as surveillance and intelligence missions.

“The successful first flight officially initiates the rigorous flight test program, which will focus on expanding the aircraft’s performance envelope and verifying all mission systems,” Unmanned Carrier Aviation Program Manager Capt. Daniel Fucito said in the Navy announcement.

The Stingray is powered by a single Rolls-Royce’s AE 3007N engine. This year, the company is expected to deliver four more engines to Boeing to support production spares, per a Rolls-Royce release.