The race to be the US Navy's first carrier-based drone is heating up

pulse

April 5, 2018 10:02 PM

Boeing, General Atomics, and Lockheed Martin have all released images of their candidates for the US Navy's MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based drone competition.

Boeing, General Atomics, and Lockheed Martin have all released images of their candidates for the US Navy's MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based drone competition.
The drone will conduct aerial refueling operations, significantly extending the range and flight time for the US Navy's air wing.
The contract is expected to be awarded sometime between August and October 2018.

The race to get the contract for the US Navy's first carrier-based drone is heating up.

All three competitors — Boeing, General Atomics, and Lockheed Martin — have released images of what their drones look like, and the announcement of the winner is expected sometime between August and October 2018.

The program, officially known as the Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System, or CBARS, is an attempt by the Navy to increase the operational range of carrier-based aircraft with a drone that can perform aerial refueling duties.

The program was originally called the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike, or UCLASS

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin's design is loosely based on its RQ-170 Sentinel and the overall design does not appear much different from Lockheed Martin's

Boeing

Boeing's design is based on its Phantom Ray stealth UAV demonstrator. Boeing has the most experience in aerial refueling, as well as naval aviation as a whole — the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler dominate the current naval air fleet.

Like Lockheed Martin's design, the drone has a massive fuel tank, meaning it will have no difficulty meeting the Navy's 14,000 of fuel and requirements.

Boeing's design is the only one that has a working prototype, though it has not yet flown. The drone has been tested in St. Louis on Lambert Field.

The drone was operating on a

General Atomics

General Atomics' design is based on their Sea Avenger, a carrier-based version of their Avenger UAV, a strike aircraft that was intended to succeed its MQ-9 Reaper.

The Sea Avenger was re-adapted for refueling operations after the Pentagon cancelled the

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