The U.S. Navy has taken a decisive step toward deploying unmanned aircraft from its carriers, with the MQ-25A Stingray completing its long-awaited maiden flight following delays that pushed the program into 2026. The test, conducted by Boeing in coordination with the service, represents a turning point in efforts to field an operational carrier-based aerial refueling drone.
Rather than focusing solely on basic flight validation, the sortie was designed to demonstrate the aircraft’s growing autonomy and its ability to integrate with the Navy’s evolving unmanned aviation architecture. Over the course of approximately two hours, the MQ-25A carried out a full sequence of flight activities—from ground movement to landing—while responding to remote inputs and executing a predefined mission profile.
Control of the aircraft was maintained through the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System MD-5, operated from a Ground Control Station at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Illinois. Throughout the mission, Boeing specialists and U.S. Navy unmanned aviation personnel issued commands and tracked performance in real time, confirming the reliability of the drone’s flight control and navigation systems as well as its secure link with ground-based operators.
Reflecting on the achievement, Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Air Dominance, stated: “the successful flight today builds on years of learning with our MQ-25A T1 prototype and represents a significant maturation of the program.” He further emphasized that “the MQ-25A is the most complex autonomous system ever developed for the carrier environment, and this historic achievement brings us closer to safely integrating the Stingray into the carrier air wing.”
Rear Admiral Tony Rossi, head of the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, underscored the program’s importance for the fleet’s future, noting: “the first flight of the MQ-25A is a key achievement for the Navy and Boeing team, and a critical step toward the future of the carrier air wing.” He added that “this test demonstrates progress in delivering a carrier-based aerial refueling capability that will significantly expand the fleet’s range and operational capacity.”
Designed as a cornerstone of the Navy’s push toward manned-unmanned teaming, the MQ-25A Stingray will provide organic aerial refueling from aircraft carriers, significantly extending the operational reach of embarked air wings. By assuming the tanker role, the platform is expected to reduce reliance on F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters for refueling missions, allowing those aircraft to focus on strike and air superiority tasks.
The program’s progress follows a series of delays acknowledged throughout 2025, when the U.S. Navy confirmed that the first flight would be deferred to 2026. Challenges included the integration of certified software, ongoing engine testing, and completion of command programming by Lockheed Martin. Additional pressures, such as potential government shutdown impacts and labor-related disruptions at Boeing facilities, also contributed to the revised timeline.
Earlier in February 2026, Boeing reported the completion of ground testing, including low-speed autonomous taxi trials that validated initial system performance. With the first flight now achieved, further testing will continue at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport before the aircraft is transferred to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. There, the MQ-25A will undergo the evaluations required for eventual certification to operate from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers.
*Cover image obtained from Boeing.
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