Boeing MQ-25
| Boeing MQ-25 Stingray | |
|---|---|
| Type: | UAV |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
19th September 2019 |
| Commissioning: |
In the development |
| Number of pieces: |
1 |
The Boeing MQ-25 Stingray is located within the UCaaS program (Unmanned Carrier Aviation Air System) in the development of stealth drone of the US Navy . The primary task of the MQ-25 is the air refueling of manned aircraft of the type F / A-18E / F Super Hornet and F-35C . Secondary duties include ISR skills and use as a communication relay.
description
The development of the MQ-25 Stingray goes back to the UCLAAS program (Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike), which had the goal of creating a carrier-supported stealth drone with ISR and attack capabilities. As part of this program, Boeing, General Atomics , Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman submitted proposals based on existing samples after they had received corresponding contracts for preliminary design studies in August. Boeing itself used the Phantom Ray . The designation “RAQ-25” was reserved for the future model. Like numerous previous drone procurement programs, the UCLAAS program also suffered from delays, some of which were considerable.
On February 1, 2016, the UCLAAS program was partially converted into the CBARS (Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System) program. The most important difference was that the attack capabilities are not used. Instead, the new focus was now on in-flight refueling of manned fighter aircraft. The background to this decision was that such a tanker drone can significantly increase the range of carrier-based combat aircraft. This in turn increases the effectiveness of the US Navy aircraft carriers, as they can maintain a greater distance to the target or to the coast. Vice Admiral Mike Shoemaker stated that the operating range of a Super Hornet with the MQ-25 could be increased from 830 km to over 1300 km. The Navy also sees the new drone as a reaction to ballistic anti-ship missiles, so-called carrier killers , such as the Chinese DF-21D .
The realignment of the program presented manufacturers with considerable technical difficulties in some cases. At Boeing, the Phantom Ray was discarded as the initial model, as it was assumed that a classic design would be more effective than a flying wing for the new requirements. After the US Navy issued the final requirements (RFP) to manufacturers in October 2017, Northrop Grumman withdrew from the program. Like Boeing, it came to the conclusion that a flying wing like the X-47B used was unsuitable for the CBARS program. In the meantime, the designation “RAQ-25” had been changed to “MQ-25A Stingray” and “CBARS” to “UCAAS” (Unmanned Carrier Aviation Air System).
On August 30, 2018, the US Navy announced Boeing as the winner of the tender. Boeing was awarded a contract worth $ 805.3 million to develop four pre-series machines. Overall, the US Navy is planning to purchase 72 MQ-25 Stingrays, which are to be commissioned in 2024.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Boeing MQ-25 took off. FliegerWeb.com, September 23, 2019, accessed on September 23, 2019 .
- ↑ US Navy awards Boeing $ 805 million MQ-25A Stingray contract. FlightGlobal, August 31, 2018, accessed August 31, 2018 .
- ↑ Boeing wins Navy MQ-25 competition. Combat Aircraft, August 31, 2018, accessed August 31, 2018 .