ATLANTIC OCEAN, June 30, 2026 — The United States Navy showcased the Boeing MQ-25A Stingray T1 demonstrator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during Fleet Exercise 250 (FLEETEX 250), highlighting progress toward integrating unmanned aerial refueling aircraft into future carrier air wings.
Footage and photographs released by the U.S. Navy showed the Boeing-owned T1 demonstrator positioned on the flight deck alongside F/A-18E Super Hornets and other carrier aircraft during the multinational exercise held on June 25, 2026. The MQ-25A is the Navy's first carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling tanker and was featured as part of the service's ongoing carrier aviation modernization efforts.
MQ-25 Featured During Multinational Fleet Exercise
FLEETEX 250, organized by the U.S. 2nd Fleet, brought together 26 warships from the United States and 13 allied and partner nations in the Atlantic Ocean. The exercise focused on validating tactical procedures, improving maritime cohesiveness, and strengthening interoperability through coordinated at-sea training.
The MQ-25A was positioned on the USS Nimitz flight deck during flight deck handling activities and official photo operations. Although the demonstrator did not land aboard the carrier and was craned onto the ship before the exercise, its presence allowed the Navy to evaluate deck handling procedures in an operational carrier environment.
The aircraft was lined up on the carrier's catapults next to F/A-18E Super Hornets, providing a comparison of its size. The MQ-25 has a wingspan of approximately 75 feet when unfolded, which folds to about 31.3 feet for carrier storage, and measures approximately 51 feet in length.
Updated Appearance
For FLEETEX 250, the T1 demonstrator appeared in a tactical gray paint scheme, replacing the bright orange test markings used since its first flight in 2019. The aircraft also carried special "250" tail markings and a "Boeing Backs America" emblem commemorating the United States' 250th anniversary.
The aircraft did not carry the Cobham Aerial Refueling Store (ARS) pod beneath its left wing during the exercise. The ARS pod is normally used to perform the MQ-25's aerial refueling mission.
Program Advances Toward Production
The USS Nimitz embarkation follows several recent milestones for the MQ-25 program. On April 25, 2026, the first production-representative MQ-25A completed a successful two-hour maiden flight over Illinois. The U.S. Navy later approved the program's transition into Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP).
The T1 demonstrator first flew in 2019 and has completed aerial refueling tests with the F/A-18 Super Hornet, E-2D Hawkeye, and F-35C Lightning II. It has also conducted carrier deck handling trials, while current testing continues with ground evaluations, taxi tests, autonomous systems development, and preparations for carrier qualification testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River later this year.
Expanding Carrier Air Wing Capability
The MQ-25 Stingray was developed under the Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System (CBARS) program to provide dedicated aerial refueling support for carrier-based aircraft. The capability is intended to extend the operational range and endurance of carrier air wings while reducing reliance on manned fighters for tanker missions.
According to the U.S. Navy, up to 30 percent of deployed F/A-18 Super Hornets currently perform "buddy tanking" missions by carrying external fuel tanks to refuel other aircraft. The introduction of the MQ-25 will allow those fighters to focus on combat, strike, and fleet defense missions.
The U.S. Navy plans to acquire 76 MQ-25 aircraft for deployment aboard both Nimitz-class and Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. Two dedicated unmanned carrier aviation squadrons—VUQ-11 and VUQ-12—are planned to operate the fleet. The Stingray is also expected to support the Navy's broader strategy of integrating autonomous aircraft with manned carrier operations.
Carrier Aviation Transition
FLEETEX 250 also marked the final arrested landings and catapult launches of the Grumman C-2A Greyhound aboard USS Nimitz. After 60 years of service as the Navy's primary Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft, the C-2A is being replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey.
Following the exercise, USS Nimitz is scheduled to sail to New York Harbor to participate in International Naval Review 250 during the Fourth of July celebrations.
The MQ-25 program will continue flight testing and carrier qualification activities as the U.S. Navy prepares to introduce its first operational carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling aircraft into fleet service in the coming years.
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