The production representative prototype of the unmanned refueling aircraft MQ-25 Stingray built by Boeing has begun taxi tests in the United States.
In a January 30 statement, Boeing and the U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) said taxi tests are being conducted at MidAmerica Airport, near St. Louis, Missouri, home to Boeing’s production facility, according to The Aviationist.
This is one of nine Stingrays Boeing is building for the Navy “to undergo static, fatigue, and flight tests to ensure durability and airworthiness,” the company said on September 14, 2023.
The first flight of the Stingray was pushed to early 2026, delaying the Navy’s original late-2025 schedule. The drone’s primary mission will be to relieve the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet from refueling duties.
The MQ-25 will also have a secondary Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission. Any system with a secondary ISR function always acts as a force multiplier by extending naval air patrol missions and relieving larger manned platforms.
The Navy had previously declared a goal to make 60% of its air wing unmanned, complementing both current platforms and, in the future, the F/A-XX. The unmanned tanker MQ-25 Stingray will serve as a key system for future manned-unmanned team (MUM-T) operations.
#MQ25 on the move!
The first @USNavy MQ-25 Stingray recently moved off the production line to our static test facility. This is the first of nine Stingrays to be put through static, fatigue and flight tests to ensure durability and airworthiness. pic.twitter.com/2UvYoKnK7G
— Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) September 14, 2023
Photo and video: Boeing / X @BoeingDefense. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
