The US Navy’s first operational MQ‑25A Stingray unmanned tanker drone has completed its first autonomous taxi test, moving it a step closer to joining carrier air wings.
In a ground test at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, the first production MQ‑25A responded to commands from pilots of the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System and taxied itself from Boeing’s production facility to the adjacent taxiway while executing programmed maneuvers.
The event took place under the supervision of navy and Boeing personnel and confirmed the aircraft’s ground handling and autonomous control systems performed as expected.
Designed by Boeing specifically for the US Navy, the MQ‑25A Stingray is intended to serve primarily as an unmanned aerial refueling asset. The aircraft can carry about 15,000 pounds (6,800 kilograms) of fuel and will operate from catapult‑equipped carriers once deck‑based flight testing begins.
“There is nothing like this platform anywhere in the world – the unmanned aerial refueler will operate on the carrier deck extending the Navy’s operational reach,” Dan Gillian, vice president of air dominance at Boeing, said.
MQ‑25A Milestones
The MQ‑25A program has reached several key development points over the past few years, charting its path toward operational deployment.
In November 2021, the US Navy conducted its maiden ground test of the MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling drone.
The program hit a delay in November 2023 when the Department of Defense’s Office of the Inspector General flagged plans to declare initial operational capability without completing required developmental tests meant to speed up delivery and deployment.
The inspector general said bypassing standard procedures increased program costs and raised the risk of further deployment delays.
Boeing delivered the first MQ‑25 Stingray aircraft to the US Navy in February 2024 to begin airframe integrity testing, a foundational step before flight trials. At the same time, BAE Systems announced that it signed a deal with Boeing to equip the drone with a new vehicle management system computer.
Plans to deploy the first MQ‑25 Stingray tanker drone in 2026 were announced in January 2025, with carrier integration expected to follow.
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