The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a $562 million fixed-price incentive contract for the MQ-25A Stingray, the first production deal for the carrier-based unmanned tanker. The order covers three low-rate initial production aircraft in Lot 1 and long-lead components for three Lot 2 aircraft, with initial deliveries expected to begin in 2029. Naval Air Systems Command issued the contract from Patuxent River, Maryland, while Boeing’s MQ-25 work is centred in St. Louis, Missouri.
The award moves the programme from development into production after years of testing and engineering work. The MQ-25 is intended to provide carrier air wing refuelling support, easing pressure on manned strike aircraft and extending the reach of the Navy’s carrier air wing.
The contract was structured as a modification to a prior advance acquisition agreement and was awarded without competition. Syndicated reporting placed the contract value at $552.1 million and said the work is scheduled for completion in July 2031, with funding drawn from fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 aircraft procurement accounts.