Navy Commits $562M to Boeing for Pilotless Drone Tankers

The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a $562 million contract to produce three MQ-25A Stingray drones, which will serve as pilotless aerial tankers for refueling fighter jets.

The MQ-25A program is the world's first fully integrated, carrier-based drone, and it has an estimated value of $13 billion. The Navy plans to use the drones to relieve F/A-18 Super Hornets of their role in buddy refueling missions, allowing them to focus on their main mission as multi-role strike fighters.

The MQ-25A Stingray carries a 15,000-pound fuel tank and can supply it to other aircraft mid-flight. It also has the capability to perform ISR missions and strike targets with anti-ship missiles. The drone is powered by a single Rolls-Royce AE 3007N engine and can fly for up to 580 miles on a single outing.