MILTECH - The US Navy's Unmanned Aviation Program (PMA-268) held its first training event on June 28-30 in Pax River to demonstrate how the MQ Ground Control Station (GCS)-25 will command unmanned aircraft. and environment.
Boeing and the United States Navy (USN) conducted several tests to evaluate the flight control characteristics of the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in flight. The mission took place on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H W Bush, Boeing said. It is the company's T1 model, which has already participated in flight tests. The MQ-25, which was designed to serve in the air, performed maneuvers both on the plane and in the hangar of the aircraft. During this project, USN pilots - known as "yellow shirts" - used standard hand signals to guide the MQ-25, which was controlled by a flight operator (DHO). using a remote control system. Boeing says the controls are easy to use and designed for young pilots familiar with video game controls.
The DHO was originally trained at Boeing's Bridge Handling Simulation Laboratory in St. Louis, Missouri. This demonstration is designed to ensure that the MQ-25 can fit into the harsh conditions of an aircraft carrier, day or night. The MQ-25 rotates, combined with catapults, clears the landing zone and parks. Jim Young, chief engineer of the MQ-25 program, said, "The Navy has a robust and efficient system for moving aircraft to aircraft.
"Our goal is to make sure the MQ-25 fits the system without changing it. From designing the aircraft to developing the system that drives it, our team has worked hard to make the MQ-25 aircraft better in every way.
During previous flight test campaigns, the T1 aircraft refueled such aircraft as the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Lockheed Martin F-35C and the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye.
Dave Bujold, MQ-25 program manager at Boeing, adds, "The Navy has given us two key performance parameters for this program - air-to-air fuel and ship loading." "We have shown that the MQ-25 can meet both of these requirements, and we have done so for years before the traditional acquisition program."
As a supply component, the MQ-25 will provide the USN with several advantages. First, it will extend the length of the aircraft carrier, allowing the ship to operate at a distance from the enemy. This will be especially important in the conflict against China, given the anti-infiltration/territorial strategy of Beijing, which will use missiles and long-range missiles to stop the US military.
The MQ-25 will also replace the Super Hornets that will be assigned the task of refueling aircraft with special tanks. The USN said it wants the drone to reach initial operational capability by 2024. It plans to buy up to 76 of the aircraft under its registration program.
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