In 2016, the Pentagon invested over $1 billion in the MQ-25 Stingray, a flying drone designed to refuel fighter jets mid-air. The project was supposed to replace older drones and extend the range of the US Navy’s aircraft carriers. Seven years later, the program is shutting down. The Pentagon confirmed on Friday that it will terminate the contract with Boeing, the main contractor, after the drone failed to meet performance requirements.
The MQ-25 Stingray was meant to be the first operational unmanned aerial refueling system for the US Navy. The drone’s primary role was to reduce the burden on manned aircraft by performing mid-air refueling missions. The Navy had planned to deploy the Stingray on its aircraft carriers by 2025. However, repeated delays and technical issues forced the Pentagon to reconsider the project’s viability. In a statement, the Department of Defense said the program no longer aligned with current needs.
Boeing, which won the contract in 2018, had already delivered four test aircraft. But the drones consistently underperformed in trials, failing to meet fuel transfer rates and endurance targets. The company had spent years lobbying to keep the project alive, arguing that the Stingray would become essential for future naval operations. Instead, the Pentagon decided to redirect funds toward other drone programs, including the Sea Guardian, a smaller unmanned system already in use.
The Pentagon’s decision follows a broader shift in military priorities. The US is now focusing on faster, stealthier drones like the XQ-58 Valkyrie, designed for combat rather than refueling. The Navy will also expand its fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones, which are already deployed for surveillance and strike missions. Military analysts say the failure of the Stingray reflects the challenges of transitioning from experimental to operational drone technology.
The shutdown leaves Boeing with an uncertain future for the Stingray. The company had hoped the project would secure long-term contracts, but now faces a financial loss. The Pentagon has not disclosed the full cost of the program, though earlier reports estimated spending at over $1 billion. The decision marks the end of one of the military’s most ambitious drone projects in recent years.
Source: tu.no