Boeing MQ-25 Stingray Tanker Drone Achieves Another First: Air-to-Air Refueling With An E-2D theaviationist.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theaviationist.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Alex Sundby, Eleanor Watson
June 9, 2021 / 7:05 AM / CBS News Drone refuels U.S. Navy fighter jet midair
An unmanned aircraft successfully refueled a U.S. fighter jet in midair for the first time, officials said Monday. A Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet and a Boeing-made drone were briefly connected by a hose as the drone transferred jet fuel to the aircraft in the skies over the Midwest during Friday s test flight.
During the flight, the Super Hornet approached the drone, known as a MQ-25 Stingray, from behind and were as close as 20 feet from each other, Boeing said. The hose extended from the drone, and the Super Hornet connected with the drogue at the end of the hose to receive the fuel. The Navy posted video of the test flight to Twitter.
It would not be too much of a crazy stretch to say the existence of this refueler could be the difference in victory or defeat in a possible war against China.