Aerospace giant Boeing has been contracted to add electronic warfare capabilities to its MQ-25 Stingray drone, according to a US Department of Defense announcement.
A new $12.7-million investment covers work on an upgraded Radio Frequency Blanker Unit, which ensures the aircraft’s transmissions won’t interfere with its own sensors.
It also covers the drone’s Encrypted Mass Storage System, keeping any data collected and transferred during flight protected and secure.
With both components already installed on the MQ-25, the contract will cover deficiency analysis and corrections to make sure the drone’s main onboard computer is safe from hacking or cyberattacks.
The work will take place in Missouri, with additional responsibilities being handled by the company’s facility in Ohio.
The contract will run through November 2029.
Streamlining Navy Operations
As the US Navy’s first operational carrier-based drone, the MQ-25 Stingray is positioned to replace F/A-18 fighter jets during dedicated tanker operations.
Once it formally joins missions, the drone will become the first uncrewed aircraft to routinely operate from a US aircraft carrier.
“The MQ-25A is the most complex autonomous system ever developed for the carrier environment, and this historic achievement advances us closer to safely integrating the Stingray into the carrier air wing,” said Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager at Boeing Air Dominance, as quoted by Defence Blog.
