MQ-25A Stingray Takes First Flight Toward Carrier Deployment

By
Steve Schneider
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Source: Boeing | The first operational U.S. Navy MQ-25A Stingray soars over southern Illinois during a successful two-hour first flight on April 25. (Boeing Photo by Eric Shindelbower)

Boeing and the US Navy have completed the first test flight of an operational MQ-25A Stingray, marking a key milestone toward integrating unmanned aircraft into carrier operations. During the two-hour mission, the aircraft successfully demonstrated autonomous taxiing, takeoff, flight, landing, and command responsiveness through the Navy’s ground control system.
The flight validated core systems, including navigation, flight controls, and safe coordination with mission control, representing a major step toward carrier-based deployment. The MQ-25A is designed to provide autonomous aerial refueling, extending the range of carrier air wings and freeing up manned fighters like the F/A-18 for strike missions.

This achievement advances the program toward future carrier qualification testing and reflects growing US Navy efforts to integrate unmanned systems into naval aviation operations.


MDCX powers the MQ-25A Stingray’s first flight

The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works MDCX command-and-control (C2) platform successfully managed the first flight of the MQ-25A Stingray for the US Navy.

Source: Lockheed Martin | Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® MDCX™ command and control (C2) platform

The flight, conducted from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, demonstrated that MDCX can reliably control unmanned aircraft as part of the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS). MDCX serves as the core software behind the MD-5 Ground Control Station and was selected in 2020 as the control system for Boeing’s MQ-25A program.

Why it matters:
This milestone confirms that the Navy can safely command and operate advanced unmanned aircraft like the MQ-25A, strengthening its vision for a future air wing that integrates crewed and uncrewed systems. It also establishes MDCX as a foundational, ready-now platform for secure, flexible, and interoperable drone operations.

Key takeaway:
The successful flight highlights strong collaboration between industry and the Navy, proving that modern, open-architecture C2 systems like MDCX are ready to support next-generation carrier-based unmanned aviation.

First flight. Real voices.

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