The Navy's Drone Tanker Will Fly Off an Aircraft Carrier and Refuel its Jets
By Kyle Mizokami
Apr 18, 2017
Northrop Grumman X-47B during carrier trials. NG's entry into the Stingray competition will undoubtedly bear some resemblance to the X-47B.
U.S. Navy photo.
The U.S. Navy wants a drone that can fly off an aircraft carrier, but not to bomb the enemy or engage other aircraft—at least, not yet.
The MQ-25 Stingray will be an unmanned tanker, extending the range of the other carrier aircraft, with the possibility of bomber and intelligence-gathering missions baked into the plane down the road. The Navy has awarded risk reduction contracts to the four companies vying to produce the first operational, carrier-borne drone.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a26132/navys-carrier-drone-advances-mq-25/
