The USS Theodore Roosevelt has become the first US Navy supercarrier with an Unmanned Air Warfare Center fully capable of supporting the forthcoming MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone.
This marks another step toward the Navy finally reaching initial operational capability with the MQ-25, now set to come in 2029 after years of delays. The new details about the Theodore Roosevelt's UAWC are contained in a Modernized Selected Acquisition Report that the Pentagon recently released.
The Navy plans to acquire a total fleet of 76 Stingrays, which will offer critical range extension for current and future aircraft in its carrier air wings. The aim is also to eliminate the need for crewed F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to fly in the tanker role, freeing up those aircraft for other missions and reducing overall wear and tear on the airframes.
