- The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a $12.1 million contract to develop structural repair and corrosion mitigation procedures for MQ-25A Stingray test aircraft.
- The contract supports the long-term sustainment framework for the carrier-based refueling drone program, with work scheduled through March 2028.
The United States Navy has awarded Boeing a $12 million contract tied to the MQ-25A Stingray, extending work on one of the Navy’s most closely watched drone programs.
The order, valued at $12,074,613, was awarded to Boeing in St. Louis, Missouri, under an existing basic ordering agreement. Rather than covering new aircraft production, the contract focuses on the development of Phase I structural repair manual procedures for the MQ-25A.
The work is intended to give the Navy the ability to inspect the aircraft, assess damage, and carry out basic structural repairs on test and development airframes. It also includes procedures for dealing with minor damage and, where necessary, corrosion mitigation, an issue that remains especially important for aircraft operating in the naval environment.
While the contract value is relatively modest, the work itself is an important part of moving the program closer to sustained fleet use. Repair manuals define how maintenance teams inspect damage, what can be repaired at the unit level, and how quickly aircraft can be returned to service.
For a carrier-based unmanned aircraft, that support framework is critical. Naval aviation platforms are routinely exposed to salt air, deck handling stress, and harsh operating conditions, making structural repair guidance a core part of long-term readiness.
The MQ-25A Stingray remains one of the most important unmanned aviation programs in the Navy’s modernization plans. The aircraft is being developed as a carrier-based aerial refueling drone, designed to extend the operational reach of the carrier air wing by refueling crewed aircraft in flight.
By taking over the tanker mission from manned fighters such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the MQ-25 is expected to free those aircraft for strike and air defense roles while increasing the range of carrier operations.
Work under the contract will be carried out in St. Louis and is expected to continue through March 2028.