The Briefing Room

General Category => Military/Defense News => Topic started by: rangerrebew on April 21, 2017, 08:46:39 am

Title: The Navy's Drone Tanker Will Fly Off an Aircraft Carrier and Refuel its Jets
Post by: rangerrebew on April 21, 2017, 08:46:39 am

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/

Title: Re: The Navy's Drone Tanker Will Fly Off an Aircraft Carrier and Refuel its Jets
Post by: geronl on April 21, 2017, 11:36:35 am

not glamorous but it's a start and it can prove its reliability in this role