US Navy

Boeing's MQ-25 T1 Stingray drone has successfully aerially refueled a US Navy F-35C Lightning II fighter jet for the first time, demonstrating that the robotic aircraft can support the 5th-generation fighter during carrier operations.

It goes without saying that the neutralizing of underwater mines is a risky task – definitely one that you'd avoid sending a scuba diver to do, if at all possible. That's why Pittsburgh-based RE2 Robotics is designing a robotic system to do the job.

Boeing's MQ-25 T1 Stingray jet-propelled air tanker drone has refueled a US Navy E-2D Hawkeye command and control aircraft in mid-air, providing data that will be used to upgrade digital models of the MQ-25 and help improve the first production models.

In anticipation of the day when drones routinely refuel US Navy planes in the air, Boeing and Northrop Grumman have carried out carrier air wing team refueling in a simulation. The exercise included an autonomous MQ-25, an F/A-18, and an E-2D.

A Northrop Grumann MQ-4C Triton drone equipped with a highly upgraded multi-intelligence package, called Integrated Functional Capability Four (IFC-4), has taken to the air for the first time as part of expanding the deployment of the new version.

For the first time ever, an un-crewed aircraft has successfully refuelled another aircraft while both planes were in flight. In the test, Boeing's MQ-25 T1 aerial tanker drone transferred jet fuel to a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet.

With the aid of a Dutch De Zeven Provincien-class frigate, the US Navy destroyer USS Paul Ignatius used two Standard Missile-3 interceptors to destroy ballistic missiles while they were still in space during the Formidable Shield NATO sea exercises.

The US Navy has given Raytheon the go ahead to start production of the latest Block of the Tomahawk cruise missile. The Block V variant will start work later this year, giving the missile a life extension of 15 years plus increased capabilities.

The US Missile Defense Agency and the US Navy have successfully destroyed a mock ICBM missile on the edge of space using a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missile launched from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS John Finn.

Boeing has been awarded a US$30-million contract to develop a supersonic ramjet missile in cooperation with the US Navy. The SPEAR flight demonstrator will help determine technical requirements for future missiles to defend Navy carriers.

As part of the US Navy's Large Unmanned Surface Vessel (LUSV) competition, Lockheed Martin has been selected as the main contractor to study how to provide the Navy with large, autonomous ships that can operate for extended periods without a crew.

The US Navy's Blue Angels acrobatic team has taken delivery of its first F/A-18 Super Hornet test aircraft. The fighter is the first of 11 Boeing plans to deliver to the Navy team this year and will be used for flight testing and evaluation.