{"id":29916363,"date":"2026-10-28T11:34:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:34:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-25a-stingray-second-navy-airframe-midamerica-final-assembly-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T11:34:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:34:54","slug":"mq-25a-stingray-second-navy-airframe-midamerica-final-assembly-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-25a-stingray-second-navy-airframe-midamerica-final-assembly-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"MQ-25 Stingray: Second Navy Jet Trucked to MidAmerica for Final Assembly"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid 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It was the US Navy's second MQ-25A Stingray, wings folded and fuselage shrink-wrapped, riding a flatbed truck to the place where it will finally be finished.<\/p>\n\n<p>Boeing Defense confirmed the move on 26 October: the airframe travelled from Boeing's St. Louis, Missouri, site to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois, where it will undergo final assembly before ground testing. It is a small logistics story with a big program behind it. The MQ-25 is the Navy's first carrier-based uncrewed tanker, and the first operational uncrewed aircraft meant to live on a carrier deck.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border:1px solid #e2e7ee;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 26px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Aircraft:<\/strong> Boeing MQ-25A Stingray, carrier-based uncrewed tanker<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Event:<\/strong> Second Navy MQ-25A trucked from St. Louis to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (announced 26 October 2026)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Next steps:<\/strong> Final assembly, then ground testing<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>First Navy MQ-25A first flight:<\/strong> 25 April 2026, about two hours<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Initial operational capability:<\/strong> Now expected in 2029<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>First production contract:<\/strong> $562 million for three aircraft (14 September 2026)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Program of record:<\/strong> 76 aircraft (67 operational, 9 test)<\/li><li style=\"margin:4px 0\"><strong>Engine:<\/strong> One Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A 25-mile trip to the final assembly line<\/h2>\n\n<p>According to The Aviationist, the road trip covered roughly 25 miles. Boeing's own video shows the aircraft towed out by tug, loaded with its wings folded and its body wrapped in white protective covering. The airframe still lacked the nose air-data probes and the Cobham aerial refuelling store carried by the first Navy aircraft; those are expected to be fitted at MidAmerica.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"max-width:550px;margin:0 auto 28px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?id=2114809362598306273&theme=light\" style=\"width:100%;height:520px;border:none;overflow:hidden\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n<p>MidAmerica is where the Stingray program now lives. Boeing announced the roughly 300,000-square-foot factory in September 2021 with a planned $200 million investment, and it is where the first Navy-owned MQ-25A has been flight testing since the spring.<\/p>\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">From first flight to production<\/h2>\n\n<p>That first Navy aircraft took off from MidAmerica at 10:49 a.m. on 25 April 2026 and flew for about two hours on a preprogrammed profile, controlled from a ground station. Boeing's company-owned T1 demonstrator had first flown back in September 2019, and in June 2021 it became the first uncrewed aircraft to refuel another aircraft, passing fuel to a Navy <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/fa-18-super-hornet\/\">F\/A-18F Super Hornet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #1565c0;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;Achieving this first flight underscores the strong partnership between the Navy and our industry partners.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Rear Adm. Tony Rossi<\/strong> &mdash; Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, US Navy, April 2026<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Navy approved production in May 2026, and on 14 September it awarded Boeing a $562 million fixed-price incentive contract for the first low-rate production lot: three aircraft plus long-lead parts for three more, with deliveries from 2029. The program of record is 76 aircraft, 67 for the fleet and nine for testing.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/mq-25-t1-refuels-f-35c-2021.jpg\" alt=\"MQ-25 T1 Stingray refuelling a US Navy F-35C\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">Boeing's MQ-25 T1 test aircraft refuels a US Navy F-35C near MidAmerica Airport in September 2021. US Navy photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why the Navy wants it, and why it is late<\/h2>\n\n<p>The Stingray's job is to take tanker work away from the Navy's Super Hornets. Today, carrier air wings use fighters fitted with buddy refuelling stores to top up other fighters, which ties up airframes that would otherwise fly combat missions. The Navy's stated goal for the MQ-25 is to deliver around 14,000 pounds of fuel at 500 nautical miles from the carrier, stretching the reach of the whole air wing, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/f-35-lightning-ii\/\">F-35C<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p>The schedule has slipped. USNI News reported in April that the Navy had pushed initial operational capability to 2029, citing carrier availability and manufacturing problems. The Navy defines IOC as three MQ-25As with trained people and equipment ready to deploy on a carrier equipped for them.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7;display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start\"><div><em>&ldquo;We will fundamentally reset naval aviation and the way they operate autonomous systems.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Troy Rutherford<\/strong> &mdash; Vice President, MQ-25A program, Boeing, speaking to St. Louis Public Radio, May 2026<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>There are signs of progress beyond the factory. On 19 October, according to The Aviationist, the first Navy MQ-25A was controlled for the first time from a ground station aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan while the ship was at sea in the Pacific, with the aircraft itself still on the ground in Illinois. A second airframe on the assembly line is the next step towards a carrier deck.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/b9WqSR_XYG0\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Boeing's footage of the first Navy MQ-25A Stingray flight on 25 April 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Sources: Boeing Defense, The Aviationist, USNI News, NAVAIR, Defense News, Naval News, St. Louis Public Radio<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\n\n\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\n\n\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>Where is the Boeing MQ-25A Stingray assembled?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Boeing MQ-25A Stingray goes through final assembly and flight testing at Boeing's factory at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. The roughly 300,000-square-foot site was announced in September 2021 with a planned $200 million investment. Boeing moved the second Navy MQ-25A there from St. Louis in October 2026.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What happened to the second MQ-25A in October 2026?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">On 26 October 2026, Boeing Defense announced that the second Navy MQ-25A had moved by road from St. Louis, Missouri, to MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. Boeing said the aircraft will undergo final assembly there before ground testing. It travelled on a flatbed truck with its wings folded and its fuselage wrapped.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When did the first Navy MQ-25A Stingray fly?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The first Navy-owned MQ-25A Stingray made its first flight on 25 April 2026 from Boeing's facility at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. It took off at 10:49 a.m. and flew for about two hours under ground-station control. Boeing's T1 demonstrator had first flown earlier, in September 2019.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When will the MQ-25 Stingray reach initial operational capability?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The MQ-25 Stingray is now expected to reach initial operational capability in 2029, after delays linked to carrier availability and production problems. The Navy defines initial operational capability as three MQ-25As with trained personnel and equipment ready to deploy on an MQ-25A-capable aircraft carrier.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many MQ-25 Stingrays will the US Navy buy?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The MQ-25 Stingray program of record is 76 aircraft: 67 operational aircraft and nine test aircraft. In September 2026 the Navy awarded Boeing a $562 million first low-rate initial production contract for three aircraft, plus long-lead parts for three more, with deliveries expected from 2029.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What does the MQ-25 Stingray do?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The MQ-25 Stingray is the US Navy's carrier-based uncrewed refuelling aircraft, powered by a single Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan. It will take over tanker duties now flown by F\/A-18E\/F Super Hornets, freeing those fighters for combat missions. In 2021 an MQ-25 became the first uncrewed aircraft to refuel another aircraft.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Where is the Boeing MQ-25A Stingray assembled?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Boeing MQ-25A Stingray goes through final assembly and flight testing at Boeing's factory at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. The roughly 300,000-square-foot site was announced in September 2021 with a planned $200 million investment. Boeing moved the second Navy MQ-25A there from St. Louis in October 2026.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What happened to the second MQ-25A in October 2026?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"On 26 October 2026, Boeing Defense announced that the second Navy MQ-25A had moved by road from St. Louis, Missouri, to MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. Boeing said the aircraft will undergo final assembly there before ground testing. It travelled on a flatbed truck with its wings folded and its fuselage wrapped.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did the first Navy MQ-25A Stingray fly?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The first Navy-owned MQ-25A Stingray made its first flight on 25 April 2026 from Boeing's facility at MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. It took off at 10:49 a.m. and flew for about two hours under ground-station control. Boeing's T1 demonstrator had first flown earlier, in September 2019.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When will the MQ-25 Stingray reach initial operational capability?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MQ-25 Stingray is now expected to reach initial operational capability in 2029, after delays linked to carrier availability and production problems. The Navy defines initial operational capability as three MQ-25As with trained personnel and equipment ready to deploy on an MQ-25A-capable aircraft carrier.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many MQ-25 Stingrays will the US Navy buy?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MQ-25 Stingray program of record is 76 aircraft: 67 operational aircraft and nine test aircraft. In September 2026 the Navy awarded Boeing a $562 million first low-rate initial production contract for three aircraft, plus long-lead parts for three more, with deliveries expected from 2029.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What does the MQ-25 Stingray do?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The MQ-25 Stingray is the US Navy's carrier-based uncrewed refuelling aircraft, powered by a single Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan. It will take over tanker duties now flown by F\/A-18E\/F Super Hornets, freeing those fighters for combat missions. In 2021 an MQ-25 became the first uncrewed aircraft to refuel another aircraft.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-25-stingray-nimitz-new-york-naval-review-250\/\">A Robot Tanker Sails Into New York<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/mq-25-stingray-taxis-itself-on-the-tarmac\/\">MQ-25 Stingray Taxis Itself on the Tarmac<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share this story On the road between St. Louis and Mascoutah, Illinois, drivers recently passed something that looked like a manta ray in a white bedsheet. It was the US Navy&#8217;s second MQ-25A Stingray, wings folded and fuselage shrink-wrapped, riding a flatbed truck to the place where it will finally be finished. Boeing Defense confirmed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":29916200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29916363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>MQ-25 Stingray: Second Navy Jet Moves to MidAmerica Line<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Boeing trucked the second Navy MQ-25 Stingray from St. Louis to MidAmerica Airport for final assembly. 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