Washington, DC. October 22 – The US Navy established a 2,100-mile satellite control link with the MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial refueling drone from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. During preliminary sea trials, operators on the Nimitz-class ship underway in the Pacific Ocean controlled the Boeing test aircraft at the Mascoutah, Illinois facility. The Unmanned Air Warfare Center used the MD-5C Ground Control Station for a beyond-line-of-sight connection via proliferated low Earth orbit satellites. This first successful link from an underway carrier to an MQ-25A validated communications for future drone operations.
The demonstration tested networks and interfaces for remote Stingray control from a moving vessel. Capt. Daniel Fucito of the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Program Office said the connection proves the Carrier Air Wing of tomorrow is a reality today. The MD-5C integrates Navy systems with Lockheed Martin hardware for precise long-distance control of the unmanned aircraft.
Boeing’s MQ-25A Stingray will refuel F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, extending their range and freeing crewed fighters from tanker duties. This boosts carrier air wing flexibility and supports additional unmanned aircraft in naval aviation.
The test confirmed remote connectivity without autonomous flight, aerial refueling, or carrier landings. Further trials will assess performance in routine operations, advancing unmanned integration into the US Navy fleet.