- Boeing has secured a $562 million Navy contract for MQ-25A Stingray Lot 1 production
- The award funds three Lot 1 aircraft and long-lead parts for three Lot 2 Stingrays
- The production contract follows the program’s Milestone C approval granted in May 2026
Boeing has received a $562 million fixed-price-incentive contract from the U.S. Navy for Lot 1 Low Rate Initial Production, or LRIP, of the MQ-25A Stingray unmanned refueling aircraft. The award allocates funding for three Lot 1 aircraft, along with advanced procurement funding for long-lead components to support three Lot 2 Stingrays, with initial deliveries expected in 2029, the Navy said Monday.
How Does the LRIP Award Advance Program Development?
The production award directly follows Milestone C approval granted earlier this year. In May 2026, acting Navy secretary and 2026 Wash100 Award winner Hung Cao announced that the MQ-25A program had received formal authorization to enter the Production and Deployment phase.
According to Capt. Daniel Fucito, program manager of the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Program Office, or PMA-268, the contract award signals a fundamental evolution in carrier air wing operations.
“Awarding this first LRIP contract marks a pivotal transition from development to operational reality and is a testament to the focused effort of our joint government and industry teams,” Fucito stated, adding that MQ-25A will provide the “advanced reach, lethality and survivability our warfighters need to outpace evolving threats and dominate the future battlespace.”
What Role Will the MQ-25A Stingray Play in Carrier Air Wing Operations?
Designed as a pathfinder for manned-unmanned teaming in naval aviation, the MQ-25A Stingray will provide organic aerial refueling directly to the Carrier Air Wing.
By taking over the tanking mission, the unmanned platform enables F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to concentrate on core strike capabilities, thereby extending the wing’s combat radius and preserving the structural service life of the Super Hornet fleet. The Navy’s PMA-268 program office manages the Stingray air system alongside its Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System.
