Lockheed Martin has released concept images of a refueling drone it’s working on for a U.S. Navy competition. The MQ-25 “Stingray” design is under development at the company’s Skunk Works, and will compete with entries from Boeing and General Atomics. The Navy wants the drone to be capable of carrying 14,000 pounds of fuel to refuel combat jets, with a range of 500 NM, and it must be able to operate from an aircraft carrier. The contract is due to be awarded in September. The Navy has said it plans to buy the first four drones in 2023 and start to operate them from aircraft carriers in 2026. Ultimately, the Navy will operate a fleet of 72 of the refueling drones.
The drones will not replace piloted refueling aircraft in the military fleet. Boeing is working on a new tanker, the KC-46 Pegasus, that is based on the 767 airframe. The company says they expect to deliver 179 of the airplanes to the U.S. Air Force by 2027. The KC-46 will be a multirole aircraft that can carry up to 114 passengers, a payload up to 65,000 pounds or up to 58 patients. First deliveries are expected this year.
