Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, announced on Tuesday that the MQ-25A “Stingray” unmanned air-to-air tanker would be moving to serial production, passing the point in development designated as “Milestone C” which marks a transition out of research and development towards Low Rate Initial Production and then a full rate manufacturing cycle.
The U.S. Navy still considers the MQ-25 program to be a priority due to the need to aggressively expand the reach of Carrier Air Wings (CVWs) amidst the operational pressure to conserve airframe lifespan on F/A-18 E/F Superhornets, which had previously filled the role of “buddy” tanker to other aircraft in the CVW. Relegating Superhornets to tanker duty also reduced the available aircraft for other critical missions such as strike and combat air patrol, a problem solved by the MQ-25.
FY 2027 budget documentation relays that the Navy will purchase another three MQ-25As in FY 2027 as well as reinforce production capabilities for a total price of $771,177,000 dollars. Combined with the 3 purchased MQ-25As in FY 2026, the fleet has now procured 6 total airframes out of the program’s allotted 76 total, split into 9 test articles and 67 serial production aircraft.
The first MQ-25 produced under Navy ownership by Boeing recently completed it’s first test flight outside it’s construction facility on April 25th, 2026, with the Navy stating the flight lasted over 2 hours. This airframe will later be ferried to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Mayland (home to Naval Air Systems/NAVAIR) where it will undergo further integration testing.
About the MQ-25 Program
The MQ-25 program has stretched over the past 9 years, with Boeing selected as the winning contractor in 2018 followed by the next few years of extensive flight testing. Whilst the MQ-25 first scheduled initial operational capability (IOC) as reached in 2024, the program would suffer delays, with the stated IOC date placed sometime in Quarter 2 of FY 2029, or sometime in early calendar year 2029.
Boeing had delivered a static aircraft used for ground testing, and a company owned MQ-25 dubbed “T-1” which was the first MQ-25 to fly in 2019 and the first to complete an air-to-air refueling in 2021. Accompanying flight tests of the T-1, Boeing and the Navy had also begun ground testing in July of 2025.
The MQ-25 utilizes the “Cobham” Aerial Refueling Store, the same pod system used on the Superhornets which employs a probe and drogue refueling system from an underwing pylon. The Cobham system also allows the MQ-25 to service other fixed wing Carrier based assets such as the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, and the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft.
Boeing will produce the MQ-25As at a new built 300,000 square feet facility at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. Subcontractors such as Rolls Royce, which will provide the MQ-25’s power plants in the shape of the AE 3007N turbofan engine, and BAE will be involved throughout production.
