MQ-25s to be built for U.S. Navy now totals seven
NewsApril 06, 2020
CHICAGO, Ill. Boeing received an $84.7 million contract modification this week to produce three MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling aircraft for the U.S. Navy. The deal, announced by both Boeing and the Pentagon, brings the number of refueling drones Boeing is producing for the Navy to seven.
The modification exercises options from the original contract awarded in August 2018 that include three MQ-25 system demonstration test articles. The Navy began its efforts to develop an aircraft carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicle in 2006 and plans to deploy 72 MQ-25 tanker drones total.
The service completed the first MQ-25 flight test in September 2019. Officials expect the fleet, which will cost $13 billion, to be partly operational by 2024.
According to Boeing, the aircraft is now undergoing a planned modification that includes installation of an aerial refueling store under the left wing, and will resume flight testing later this year.
