Boeing Wins $562M Contract for Navy's Next-Gen Drones
The US Navy has awarded Boeing a $562 million contract to produce three MQ-25 Stingray drones, marking a significant milestone in the program's development. The contract will be fulfilled at Boeing's manufacturing facility at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, with delivery of the first aircraft expected by 2029.
The MQ-25 is an unmanned refueling drone that can also gather intelligence, conduct surveillance, and perform reconnaissance. Troy Rutherford, vice president of the MQ-25 program at Boeing, said that reaching this milestone shows how the Navy is redefining naval aviation and expanding what autonomy can do.
With this contract, Boeing will employ 300 people to produce an eventual fleet of 76 drones in the metro-east. The Stingray is being built to extend the range of Navy aircraft carrier wings and replace the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter and attack jet as the refueling aircraft.