ST. LOUIS, June 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first
time in history, the U.S. Navy and Boeing [NYSE: BA] have
demonstrated air-to-air refueling using an unmanned aircraft – the
Boeing-owned MQ-25™ T1 test asset – to refuel another
aircraft.
During a test flight June 4, MQ-25
T1 successfully extended the hose and drogue from its U.S.
Navy-issued aerial refueling store (ARS) and safely transferred jet
fuel to a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, demonstrating the MQ-25
Stingray's ability to carry out its primary aerial refueling
mission.
"This team of professionals was integral in the successful
flight," said Rear Adm. Brian Corey,
who oversees the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and
Strike Weapons. "Over the next few years, we will work
side-by-side with Boeing to deliver this capability that will
greatly enhance the future carrier air wing."
"This history-making event is a credit to our joint Boeing and
Navy team that is all-in on delivering MQ-25's critical aerial
refueling capability to the fleet as soon as possible," said Leanne
Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
"Their work is the driving force behind the safe and secure
integration of unmanned systems in the immediate future of defense
operations."
During the initial part of the flight, the F/A-18 test pilot
flew in close formation behind MQ-25 to ensure performance and
stability prior to refueling – a maneuver that required as little
as 20 feet of separation between the MQ-25 T1 air vehicle and the
F/A-18 refueling probe. Both aircraft were flying at operationally
relevant speeds and altitudes. With the evaluation safely
completed, the MQ-25 drogue was extended, and the F/A-18 pilot
moved in to "plug" with the unmanned aircraft and receive the
scheduled fuel offload.
The milestone comes after 25 T1 flights, testing both aircraft
and ARS aerodynamics across the flight envelope, as well as
extensive simulations of aerial refueling using MQ-25 digital
models. MQ-25 T1 will continue flight testing prior to being
shipped to Norfolk, Virginia, for
deck handling trials aboard a U.S. Navy carrier later this
year.
The Boeing-owned T1 test asset is a predecessor to the seven
test aircraft Boeing is manufacturing under a 2018 contract award.
The MQ-25 will assume the tanking role currently performed by
F/A-18s, allowing for better use of the combat strike fighters and
helping extend the range of the carrier air wing.
For more information on Boeing Defense, Space & Security,
visit www.boeing.com. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense and
@BoeingSpace.
Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading
provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security
systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company
supports commercial and government customers in more than 150
countries and leverages the talents of a global supplier base.
Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to
lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and
invest in its people and future growth.
MQ-25 is a trademark of the Department of the Navy.
Contact:
Ashlee Erwin
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
+1 314-239-9944
ashlee.i.erwin@boeing.com
Justin Gibson
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
+1 314-708-6293
justin.l.gibson@boeing.com
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content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/navy-boeing-make-aviation-history-with-mq-25-becoming-the-first-unmanned-aircraft-to-refuel-another-aircraft-301306718.html
SOURCE Boeing