Aviation News – The U.S. Navy has achieved a major milestone as its first production-representative MQ-25 Stingray successfully completed its maiden flight on April 25, 2026, advancing carrier-based unmanned refueling. The flight marks a critical step in the Navy’s effort to deploy the world’s first operational carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling system, developed by Boeing. The MQ-25 program was initiated to extend the range and endurance of carrier air wings, with the aircraft selected in 2018 and progressing through years of testing and development before reaching this production-representative stage.