The U.S. Navy and Boeing have created history by demonstrating air-to-air refueling using an unmanned aircraft – the Boeing-owned MQ-25 T1 test asset – to refuel another aircraft.
During a test flight June 4, MQ-25 T1 successfully extended the hose and drogue from its U.S. Navy-issued aerial refueling store (ARS) and safely transferred jet fuel to a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, demonstrating the MQ-25 Stingray’s ability to carry out its primary aerial refueling mission.
“This team of professionals was integral in the successful flight,” said Rear Adm. Brian Corey, who oversees the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. “Over the next few years, we will work side-by-side with Boeing to deliver this capability that will greatly enhance the future carrier air wing.”
“This history-making event is a credit to our joint Boeing and Navy team that is all-in on delivering MQ-25’s critical aerial refueling capability to the fleet as soon as possible,” said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “Their work is the driving force behind the safe and secure integration of unmanned systems in the immediate future of defense operations.”
During the initial part of the flight, the F/A-18 test pilot flew in close formation behind MQ-25 to ensure performance and stability prior to refueling – a maneuver that required as little as 20 feet of separation between the MQ-25 T1 air vehicle and the F/A-18 refueling probe. Both aircraft were flying at operationally relevant speeds and altitudes. With the evaluation safely completed, the MQ-25 drogue was extended, and the F/A-18 pilot moved in to “plug” with the unmanned aircraft and receive the scheduled fuel offload.
The milestone comes after 25 T1 flights, testing both aircraft and ARS aerodynamics across the flight envelope, as well as extensive simulations of aerial refueling using MQ-25 digital models. MQ-25 T1 will continue flight testing prior to being shipped to Norfolk, Va., for deck handling trials aboard a U.S. Navy carrier later this year.
The Boeing-owned T1 test asset is a predecessor to the seven test aircraft Boeing is manufacturing under a 2018 contract award. The MQ-25 will assume the tanking role currently performed by F/A-18s, allowing for better use of the combat strike fighters and helping extend the range of the carrier air wing.
Terma has received a purchase order from the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) concerning system integration…
Iran has not used a hypersonic missile in its recent attack on Israel, but but Israel has accelerated its efforts…
Toyota Motor Corporation is set to invest an additional $500 million in Joby Aviation, a company focused on developing electric…
LATAM Airlines Group is set to retrofit four more Boeing 777 aircraft with AeroSHARK, a surface film technology designed to…
Boeing successfully completed the first flight of the AH-6 Little Bird light attack helicopter for the Royal Thai Army (RTA)…
At the recent MRO Asia Pacific event in Singapore, HAECO and Boeing signed a new deal to cover spares and…
ST Engineering's Commercial Aerospace business has secured a 15-year exclusive MRO contract with Akasa Air, India’s fastest growing airline, to…
BBN Airlines Indonesia, a new entrant in the country’s aviation sector, has officially commenced operations after receiving its Air Operation…
The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has selected Exail to develop an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) capable of operating at…
Regional Air Mobility company Lilium has completed the first systems power-on milestone of its all-electric Lilium Jet. The successful test…
Embraer has signed an Industrial Cooperation Agreement (ICA) with the Czech Ministry of Defense (MOD). The strategic agreement aimsto enhance…
Plaza Premium Group (PPG), a provider of airport hospitality services, has opened its Plaza Premium First lounge at Macau International…
HENSOLDT, a sensor solution provider, has partnered with DFS, the German air navigation service provider, to advance the use of…
The continued clashes between Israel and the Houthi rebels in Yemen signal that the Suez Canal and the Red sea…
Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, has officially opened a new 845,000-square-foot facility in Oklahoma City, marking the company’s largest…
Cebu Pacific, a low-cost carrier based in the Philippines, has finalised a firm order with Airbus for 70 A321neo aircraft,…
In view of the growing tension between Israel and some of the Iranian proxies in the region, the Israeli ministry…
The Indo Defence, Indo Aerospace, and Indo Marine 2024 Expo & Forum, which was originally set to take place from…
The Franco-German defence group KNDS, a key partner of the Ukrainian land forces, has established a subsidiary in Kyiv. The…
Deutsche Aircraft has announced a partnership with Weerts Group for the construction of its Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Leipzig/Halle…
Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş. (STM) and Bahçeşehir University (BAU) are set to develop ocean sensing systems aimed at…
Naval Group has formalised a contract to deliver four Barracuda Family expeditionary submarines to the Netherlands, as announced during a…
Challenge Group has announced the expansion of its operations in India by introducing two weekly flights to Delhi, commencing on…
ECS Group’s subsidiary, AVS GSA, in partnership with Thai Vietjet and Lactasoy, has launched an initiative to assist flood-affected communities…
Liebherr-Aerospace and Egyptair Maintenance & Engineering have signed a three-year contract for the maintenance of heat transfer equipment on Airbus…
Rheinmetall, a German technology group, and US-based Honeywell have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore strategic cooperation on…
SATS Ltd has signed a three-year agreement with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to expand the implementation of DG…
Semi Conductor Devices (SCD) has launched the Sparrow HD, a mid-wave infrared (MWIR) sensor module aimed at improving detection and…
As global air traffic demand exceeds pre-pandemic levels in 2024, airlines are turning their attention to fleet expansion, according to…
In recent months, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, an Iranian proxy, managed to shoot down a number of U.S-made MQ-9…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2024 GBP all rights reserved.