Boeing and US Navy successfully test flight of MQ-25A
- Milestone advances program towards operator integration and operational testing
STREET. LUIS, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/-Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the US Navy have successfully completed the first test flight of an operational MQ-25A Stingray™. This milestone brings the Stingray closer to aircraft carrier operations and marks the beginning of a new era in naval aviation.
During the two-hour flight, the drone successfully demonstrated its ability to taxi, take off, fly, land autonomously, and respond to commands from the MD-5 Ground Control Station (GCS) of the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System. Boeing and U.S. Navy air vehicle pilots facilitated the mission by sending aircraft commands and then monitored their performance from the GCS at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, where the program is based. Once airborne, the Stingray executed a predetermined mission plan that validated its flight controls, navigation, and secure integration with the GCS.
“Today’s successful flight builds on years of learning from our MQ-25A T1 prototype and represents an important 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 aircraft carrier environment, and this historic achievement brings us closer to safely integrating the Stingray into the carrier air wing.”
“The first flight of the MQ-25A is a historic achievement for the Navy-Boeing team and a critical step toward the future of the carrier air wing,” said Rear Adm. Tony Rossi, who oversees the Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons Program Executive Office. “This flight demonstrates our progress in delivering a carrier-based refueling capability that will significantly expand the range and lethality of our fleet.”
The MQ-25A is the Navy’s gateway to integrating unmanned aircraft onto the carrier deck, allowing for the formation of manned and unmanned teams. Its autonomous aerial refueling capability will significantly expand the operational reach of the carrier air wing and allow the F/A-18 Super Hornets currently performing the aerial refueling role to focus on their primary role as a multi-role strike fighter.
The aircraft is the first of four engineering development models to be delivered to the Navy under the original $805 million engineering development and manufacturing contract.
“Seeing our first Navy aircraft complete autonomous flight underscores what disciplined teamwork and rigorous testing offer,” said Troy Rutherford, vice president of the Boeing MQ-25 program. “Today would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our team at Boeing, the Navy and industry. Together, we are redefining the future of naval aviation and pushing the boundaries of what is possible with autonomy.”
Boeing and the Navy will conduct additional test flights from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to further validate the aircraft’s flight controls and capabilities before transitioning to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, to prepare for carrier qualifications.
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SOURCEBoeing
