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In 2026, Boeing delivered the first three units of the MQ-25A Stingray to the United States Navy in LRIP (Low-Rate Initial Production), becoming the first unmanned aircraft in history deployed on operational aircraft carriers. According to Army Recognition, the Stingray is 15.5 meters long, with a wingspan of 22.9 meters unfolded and 9.5 meters folded, and carries 7,250 kilograms of fuel to refuel F/A-18 Super Hornet combat aircraft in mid-flight. The operational range is 930 kilometers, enough to extend the reach of carrier-based fighters by up to 50% without the need for land-based tankers.
The Stingray enters service in a context of direct geopolitical pressure. Beijing has accelerated the production of DF-21D (range 1,500 km) and DF-26 (range 4,000 km) anti-ship missiles, known as “carrier killers.” As reported by the National Security Journal, the MQ-25A is the piece that saves American supercarriers from obsolescence in the face of China’s anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy.
15.5 meters, 7,250 kg of fuel, and the first carrier-based UAV in history
The MQ-25A is the first unmanned aircraft designed from scratch for carrier operations. Before it, drones like the RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper were developed for land operations and adapted later. The Stingray was conceived in 2018 under the U.S. Navy’s Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System (CBARS) program, with a $805 million contract with Boeing.
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The aircraft uses a Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan engine, derived from the Embraer Legacy 600 and the Cessna Citation X. The turbofan generates 4,082 kilograms of thrust and was modified to withstand catapult operations and cable landings. The ARS (Aerial Refueling Store) fuel system is integrated into the central fuselage, not in an external pod, giving the MQ-25A a cleaner profile and lower radar signature.
The first flight of the EDM (Engineering Development Model) occurred in the fourth quarter of 2025. The delivery of the three LRIP aircraft was confirmed by Boeing in February 2026. The Long-Lead Materials contract for 7 more units was approved by Congress in January 2026, totaling 10 MQ-25A in production.
Why the Stingray saves the American carrier
The critical point is geopolitical. The DF-21D, a Chinese anti-ship missile with a range of 1,500 km, was described by the US Naval War College in 2024 as a “strategic game-changer.” The DF-26 version reaches 4,000 km. Both force American carriers to operate outside the Chinese A2/AD bubble — meaning launching F/A-18 Super Hornet with a combat radius of only 740 km from a position 2,500 km off the Chinese coast.
The MQ-25A solves this. With 7,250 kg of additional fuel available in mid-flight, the Super Hornet extends its effective radius from 740 km to 1,300 km. The U.S. 7th Fleet in the Pacific gains offensive capability equivalent to when carriers operated 1,000 km from the coast.
AeroVironment, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman competed for the CBARS contract in 2018. Boeing won with a $805 million proposal. Lockheed Martin had presented an alternative design with a V-tail. The MQ-25A was chosen for the balance between operational simplicity and unit cost (estimated at $88 million per LRIP aircraft).
The technical reveal: ARS, EMALS, and integration with the carrier
The reveal is in the integration. The MQ-25A is designed to operate in conjunction with the electromagnetic catapult EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System) of Ford-class carriers. The EMALS system launches the Stingray at 240 km/h in just 91 meters of track, compared to 110 meters for older steam catapults. Operation on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is scheduled for the third quarter of 2027.
The Aerial Refueling Store (ARS) can transfer fuel at 1,589 kg per minute. In a single 6-hour mission, the Stingray can refuel up to 6 F/A-18 or F-35C fighters in sequence. The operation is remotely controlled from the Mission Control Station (MCS) on the carrier.
The system uses encrypted Link 16 data link and TTNT (Tactical Targeting Network Technology) protocol. The latency between command and aircraft response is less than 200 milliseconds, crucial for deck landing maneuvers. The Stingray can operate autonomously in predefined segments, but landing and takeoff require a human operator.
The human reveal: Admiral Kilby and the Boeing team
Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) of the U.S. Navy, stated in January 2026 that the MQ-25A represents “the greatest operational transformation of the carrier since the introduction of the anti-submarine helicopter in the 1960s.” As reported by The War Zone, the program is a direct priority of the CNO’s office.
Rear Admiral Brian Corey, commander of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), oversees the delivery. Boeing appointed Dan Gillian, a former F-18 pilot, as Vice-President for Navy Programs. The engineering team in St. Louis, Missouri, has 880 dedicated workers.
The Pentagon requested in April 2026 that STRATCOM evaluate the use of the MQ-25A in intelligence missions beyond refueling. The War Zone published a technical analysis in February 2026 indicating that the Stingray could receive LRASM anti-ship missile pods in future versions.
Comparison with China: GJ-11 Sharp Sword
China is developing a direct response. The GJ-11 Sharp Sword is an unmanned stealth drone by AVIC with a length of 12.2 meters, a weight of 14 tons, and an estimated operational range of 1,200 km. Unlike the MQ-25A, the GJ-11 is primarily designed for attack, with an internal missile bay for JSM. The first flight occurred in 2013, and the Sharp Sword was seen in a military parade in Beijing in October 2024.
The strategic difference is clear: the U.S. prioritizes aerial refueling (logistics), while China prioritizes autonomous attack (force). RAND Corporation experts published a study in 2025 pointing out that the U.S. Navy will have the MQ-25A operational in 2027, while the Chinese Sharp Sword will only enter full production in 2030.
The future reveal: 76 units by 2034 and the 7th Fleet
The schedule speaks for the future. The U.S. Department of Defense plans for 76 units of the MQ-25A by 2034, distributed among the 11 carrier fleets. Each Nimitz and Ford carrier will have 4 to 6 Stingrays embarked. The 7th Fleet in Japan receives priority: the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) and USS George Washington (CVN-73) are expected to operate Stingrays by 2028.
The remaining question: does the MQ-25A arrive in time? Beijing accelerates anti-ship missile production at a rate of 80 units per year. Still, the delivery of the first three Stingray aircraft in February 2026 marks the point at which the American carrier ceases to be a vulnerable platform and returns to being a long-range offensive asset.
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