The word drone means many different things to different people. The small
flying toys that one plays with are drones. so are the predator drones that
are used in foreign air strikes.
Now the military has another use for drones, refueling strike
fighters
According to popular mechanics, history was made earlier this month when the
u.s navy's MQ-25A Stingray refueling tanker conducted the first successful
refueling of an F-35 sea strike fighter. The refueling took place near the
mid-america st louis airport in muscuta, illinois.
"The successful test is the latest step in giving carrier-based fighters
longer legs than ever before, allowing them to fly and fight while keeping
the aircraft carrier safely out of range of enemy weapons," popular
mechanics said of the maneuver.
During the three-hour flight, a USN F-35C pilot from air test wing and
evaluation squadron 2 3 vx 23, approached the boeing own test asset stingray
MQ-25 T1 and performed formation evaluations, wake surveys and drogue
tracking.
It then plugged with the T1 at 225 kt calibrated airspeed at 10,000 feet
altitude. There were two contacts with the actual transfer taking place
during the second one.
Meanwhile for flight global boeing has announced a deal to build a new
factory, located at that same airport to build the MQ-25A stingray drones.
The facility set to be finished in 2024 will first employ 150 mechanics and
support staff.
"The team and state state-of-the-art technology we're bringing to the navy's
MQ-25 program is unprecedented and we're incredibly proud to be expanding
both as we build the future of autonomous systems in illinois," Kristin
Robertson, Vice President and General Manager of Autonomous Systems Boeing
Defense, Space and Security said in a statement.
"As i wrote last year about how the MQ-24A String ray was one step closer to
reality, following the first successful test. It was seen at the time as
intended to take over the role of aerial refueling for the navy, a role
currently filled by the navy's F/A-18 Super Hornets turned tankers. We wrote
of the MQ-24A," he added.
"To CT-1 Stingray prototype fly with the hardware and software that makes
MQ-25 and aerial refueler this early in the program is a visible reminder of
the capability we're bringing to the carrier deck, Dave Bugeld, the MQ-25A
Stingray pPogram Director said in a statement after that test.
"We're ensuring the ars and the software operating it will be ready to
help MQ-25 extend the range of the carrier air wing," he added.
