The U.S. Navy's new MQ-25A Stingray drone tanker flew 4 hours above 20,000 feet and retracted its landing gear automatically for the first time.
We break down what the October 6, 2026 test flight proved, why the Navy needs an unmanned tanker to take over from the Super Hornet, and why the MQ-25A still won't deploy on a carrier until 2029.
– The 4-hour MQ-25A test flight over MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, Illinois
– The three flights of 2026: April 25, July 10 and October 6
– Why Super Hornets fly as tankers today, and how the Stingray takes that job
– The T1 prototype and its 2021 deck tests aboard USS George H.W. Bush
– The MD-5C control station and the carriers equipped so far: USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Ronald Reagan
– The delay of initial operational capability to 2029 and the $562 million Boeing production contract
Source: The Navy Channel
