PACIFIC OCEAN, — The US Navy has demonstrated its ability to remotely command an MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial refueling aircraft from an aircraft carrier more than 2,100 miles (3,379 kilometres) away, marking a step forward in integrating unmanned aircraft into carrier operations.
During a preliminary sea trial on October 19, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) established a beyond-line-of-sight connection with an MQ-25A test aircraft at Boeing’s facility in Mascoutah, Illinois. The connection used a proliferated low-Earth-orbit (pLEO) satellite network. The aircraft remained at the Illinois facility and was not launched from the carrier. The Navy did not specify whether the drone was airborne during the test.
MD-5C System Enables Remote Control
Operators aboard USS Ronald Reagan used the ship’s Unmanned Air Warfare Center and MD-5C Ground Control Station to establish and exercise command and control of the aircraft.
The MD-5C combines the Navy’s command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) network with Lockheed Martin’s MDCX hardware and software, along with other government-developed equipment. The demonstration focused on validating the satellite connection and command-and-control capabilities rather than conducting flight operations from the carrier.
USS Ronald Reagan is the second US aircraft carrier equipped with an operational Unmanned Air Warfare Center. The first was installed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in March 2026. Installation and integration of the MD-5C system aboard Ronald Reagan were completed in August 2026, following 11 concurrent ship modifications carried out over 17 months during a scheduled maintenance period.
MQ-25A to Extend Carrier Aircraft Range
The MQ-25A Stingray is the US Navy’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft, designed primarily for aerial refueling. By taking over tanker duties, it is intended to allow F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters to concentrate on strike missions while flying farther and remaining airborne longer. The aircraft is designed to deliver fuel at distances of several hundred nautical miles from the carrier.
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao highlighted the aircraft’s role in extending the operational range and endurance of Super Hornets. Capt. Daniel Fucito, PMA-268 program manager, said the first underway connection between a carrier’s Unmanned Air Warfare Center and an MQ-25A demonstrated progress toward the Navy’s future carrier air wing.
Testing and Future Deployment
The October 19 demonstration was part of a series of exercises to validate the procedures, networks and system interfaces needed to operate unmanned aircraft safely. The PMA-268 Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System team conducted the work alongside the MQ-25 Integrated Test Team, which includes personnel from the US Navy, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Earlier pier-side and at-sea tests had also been conducted.
The Navy’s MQ-25A program currently calls for 76 aircraft, with an estimated total cost of $13 billion. Boeing is expected to deliver the first operational aircraft in 2029.
The MD-5C control system and satellite connection are key elements of the Navy’s planned Air Wing of the Future, which aims to integrate unmanned aircraft more extensively into routine carrier operations. The latest test demonstrated remote command-and-control capability over a long distance, although it did not involve launching or recovering the aircraft from the carrier.
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