US Navy tests remote control of MQ-25A Stingray drone from aircraft carrier

The US Navy has successfully demonstrated the ability to remotely control an MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from an aircraft carrier at sea. During the test, the USS Ronald Reagan, operating in the Pacific Ocean, established a command and control link with a Stingray aircraft located at a Boeing facility in Mascoutah, Illinois, over 2,100 miles away.

The connection was facilitated by the ship’s MD-5C ground control station using a proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO) satellite network. This technology allows for communication beyond line-of-sight, a critical requirement for future naval operations. While the test validated the communication, command, and control systems, it did not involve an actual flight, autonomous movement, or aerial refueling.

The MQ-25A Stingray is designed to provide aerial refueling for carrier-based fighter jets, such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, extending their operational range. This successful link marks a significant step toward integrating unmanned systems into carrier air wings, with full fleet integration targeted for 2029.