In what constitutes a new delay for the program, the U.S. Navy has confirmed that the new MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based refueling drone will not fly during the remainder of 2025, with this being postponed until early next year according to current plans. In this way, the institution sees its intentions frustrated—expressed both by Boeing officials and its own personnel—to achieve flights next year, thus allowing development to advance more swiftly.
Gathering some excerpts from the U.S. Navy’s official communication: “Over the last several months, the team completed structural testing of the MQ-25A Stingray on a static aircraft, conducted initial engine tests, completed its certified flight software, and commanded the vehicle from the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS). The team is finalizing systems testing and flight clearance, and the first flight is expected once certification is complete and weather permits.”
For its part, expanding on what was stated by the U.S. Navy regarding the remaining steps, the previously mentioned company indicated in its own release that it had already installed the certified software and carried out engine tests, although it is still awaiting Lockheed Martin to finish command programming. In a secondary order of relevance, U.S. analysts mention that various programs were affected by the government shutdown that took place in recent weeks, as well as by a strike at Boeing facilities in the state of Illinois; although these two factors were not officially cited.
It is worth recalling at this point that this is not the first delay affecting the MQ-25 Stingray program, considering that work on the unmanned platform has been underway since 2018. Reviewing its history, 2021 stood out as the year of greatest achievements, with progress including tests from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS George W. Bush. However, in 2022 and 2023 there was a shortage of news indicating significant progress, making the original goal of achieving Initial Operational Capability in early 2025 appear unfeasible.
Despite the various delays, the drone remains a key system for the future strategies of the U.S. Navy, with previous reports indicating the intention to add a fleet of at least 76 units. It is a platform characterized by the ability to operate aboard aircraft carriers, providing a capability currently performed by F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters equipped with external fuel tanks—a task for which they were not designed. With the arrival of the MQ-25, these aircraft could be freed up for their original role, while also reducing the strain placed on them.
Images used for illustrative purposes
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