Boeing announces second MQ-25 test flight

The Stingray UAV is shown here on the deck of USS Nimtiz. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

Boeing announced the completion of the second test flight of the unmanned, carrier-based MQ-25 Stingray on 10 July 2026.

The flight was conducted at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Illinois, 18 miles east of downtown St. Louis, Missouri.

Boeing, in concert with US Navy air vehicle pilots (AVP), autonomously tested the MQ-25's “propulsion, subsystems, guidance and flight controls necessary to achieve both landing gear up and landing gear down phases of the mission plan”, according to Boeing.

During the test, AVPs sent the aircraft commands from the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System MD-5 Ground Control Station, the company said.

A new software load, which included vehicle management system and mission computer improvements, was also uploaded to the aircraft, where it will support flight envelope expansion in future flights, Boeing said.

The company said future plans include the application of US Navy livery to the MQ-25 as well as more test flights out of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.

Janes previously reported that the US Navy's fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request included plans for unmanned procurement, including three MQ-25 Stingrays for FY 2027 and 29 across the Future Years Defense Program.

The Stingray received ‘Milestone C' Approval to move into low-rate initial production (LRIP) in May 2026, following the completion of the first operational MQ-25's first test flight in April 2026.

The US Navy said in May 2026 that it expects the Stingray to be awarded an LRIP Lot 1 contract for three aircraft in boreal summer 2026, with “priced options for Lot 2 (3 aircraft) and Lot 3 (5 aircraft)”.

The T1 prototype of the Stingray was also seen by Janes