Technicians plan to conduct deck-handling testing of the MQ-25 Stingray on the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) while the ship is underway in December. (Michael Fabey)

Technicians aboard the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) were preparing equipment for at-sea deck-handling testing of the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 7 December, according to a media briefing provided that day in the ship's hangar bay.

The tests would begin after the ship got underway later that week, according to the technicians and ship officials, and would be the first of the new streamlined deck-handling equipment, that weighs about 5 kg and can be attached to the operator with an adjustable harness, technicians noted.

The new system is smaller, lighter, and easier to manage than the previous system, the technicians added.

The Stingray is seen as a lynchpin for future carrier operations, helping to increase the relatively short legs of the US Navy (USN) carrier aircraft.

Some defence analysts contend the rather limited range of carrier aircraft pushes the ships to operate closer to the adversary, making the ships more vulnerable to attack.

Technicians plan to conduct deck-handling testing of the MQ-25 Stingray on the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) while the ship is underway in December. (Michael Fabey)

Technicians aboard the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) were preparing equipment for at-sea deck-handling testing of the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 7 December, according to a media briefing provided that day in the ship's hangar bay.

The tests would begin after the ship got underway later that week, according to the technicians and ship officials, and would be the first of the new streamlined deck-handling equipment, that weighs about 5 kg and can be attached to the operator with an adjustable harness, technicians noted.

The new system is smaller, lighter, and easier to manage than the previous system, the technicians added.

The Stingray is seen as a lynchpin for future carrier operations, helping to increase the relatively short legs of the US Navy (USN) carrier aircraft.

Some defence analysts contend the rather limited range of carrier aircraft pushes the ships to operate closer to the adversary, making the ships more vulnerable to attack.

Technicians plan to conduct deck-handling testing of the MQ-25 Stingray on the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) while the ship is underway in December. (Michael Fabey)

Technicians aboard the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) were preparing equipment for at-sea deck-handling testing of the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 7 December, according to a media briefing provided that day in the ship's hangar bay.

The tests would begin after the ship got underway later that week, according to the technicians and ship officials, and would be the first of the new streamlined deck-handling equipment, that weighs about 5 kg and can be attached to the operator with an adjustable harness, technicians noted.

The new system is smaller, lighter, and easier to manage than the previous system, the technicians added.

The Stingray is seen as a lynchpin for future carrier operations, helping to increase the relatively short legs of the US Navy (USN) carrier aircraft.

Some defence analysts contend the rather limited range of carrier aircraft pushes the ships to operate closer to the adversary, making the ships more vulnerable to attack.

Technicians plan to conduct deck-handling testing of the MQ-25 Stingray on the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) while the ship is underway in December. (Michael Fabey)

Technicians aboard the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) were preparing equipment for at-sea deck-handling testing of the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 7 December, according to a media briefing provided that day in the ship's hangar bay.

The tests would begin after the ship got underway later that week, according to the technicians and ship officials, and would be the first of the new streamlined deck-handling equipment, that weighs about 5 kg and can be attached to the operator with an adjustable harness, technicians noted.

The new system is smaller, lighter, and easier to manage than the previous system, the technicians added.

The Stingray is seen as a lynchpin for future carrier operations, helping to increase the relatively short legs of the US Navy (USN) carrier aircraft.

Some defence analysts contend the rather limited range of carrier aircraft pushes the ships to operate closer to the adversary, making the ships more vulnerable to attack.

Technicians plan to conduct deck-handling testing of the MQ-25 Stingray on the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) while the ship is underway in December. (Michael Fabey)

Technicians aboard the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) were preparing equipment for at-sea deck-handling testing of the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 7 December, according to a media briefing provided that day in the ship's hangar bay.

The tests would begin after the ship got underway later that week, according to the technicians and ship officials, and would be the first of the new streamlined deck-handling equipment, that weighs about 5 kg and can be attached to the operator with an adjustable harness, technicians noted.

The new system is smaller, lighter, and easier to manage than the previous system, the technicians added.

The Stingray is seen as a lynchpin for future carrier operations, helping to increase the relatively short legs of the US Navy (USN) carrier aircraft.

Some defence analysts contend the rather limited range of carrier aircraft pushes the ships to operate closer to the adversary, making the ships more vulnerable to attack.

Technicians plan to conduct deck-handling testing of the MQ-25 Stingray on the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) while the ship is underway in December. (Michael Fabey)

Technicians aboard the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush (CVN 77) were preparing equipment for at-sea deck-handling testing of the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 7 December, according to a media briefing provided that day in the ship's hangar bay.

The tests would begin after the ship got underway later that week, according to the technicians and ship officials, and would be the first of the new streamlined deck-handling equipment, that weighs about 5 kg and can be attached to the operator with an adjustable harness, technicians noted.

The new system is smaller, lighter, and easier to manage than the previous system, the technicians added.

The Stingray is seen as a lynchpin for future carrier operations, helping to increase the relatively short legs of the US Navy (USN) carrier aircraft.

Some defence analysts contend the rather limited range of carrier aircraft pushes the ships to operate closer to the adversary, making the ships more vulnerable to attack.