Boeing
About
About Boeing
Boeing develops autonomous aircraft, spacecraft and undersea vehicles alongside its commercial aviation and defence businesses. The MQ-25A Stingray is a carrier-based uncrewed refueller that autonomously taxis, launches, flies and lands in response to commands from a shipboard control station. Its test predecessor transferred fuel to the F/A-18, E-2D and F-35C, and the operational programme entered low-rate initial production in 2026.
The MQ-28 Ghost Bat adds a modular collaborative combat aircraft with a swappable mission nose, open architecture and more than 2,000 nautical miles of range. At sea, the 51-foot Orca extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicle carries modular payloads on long-endurance missions. Boeing extends this portfolio through subsidiaries Aurora Flight Sciences, Insitu and Liquid Robotics, covering experimental aircraft, tactical drones and persistent Wave Glider ocean platforms.
Articles
Products
Operations
Facilities & manufacturing
- Production setup
2026-05-19 - The U.S. Navy cleared Boeing MQ-25A Stingray for low-rate initial production after Milestone C approval. - MQ-25A Stingray
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Orders & commitments
- Order / commitment
2018-08-30 - The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing an $805.3 million design-build contract for the MQ-25A Stingray unmanned carrier aviation air system. - MQ-25A Stingray design-build contract
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Supply
Supply chain relationships
- MicroPilot
Inbound - Autonomy Software - MicroPilot supplies uav autopilot and ground control software for Boeing Boeing small UAS software programme
Source - Orbital UAV
Inbound - Propulsion Components - Orbital UAV supplies propulsion systems to Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary
Source - Rolls-Royce
Inbound - robotic motion components - Rolls-Royce supplies AE 3007N engines and production spares for Boeing MQ-25A Stingray aircraft
Source - Curtiss-Wright
Inbound - Compute & Control - Curtiss-Wright supplies aircraft data technology systems for Boeing’s MQ-25 carrier-based unmanned tanker programme
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Financials
- BA - NYSE - USD
Team
- Kelly Ortberg - President and Chief Executive Officer - Relevant to the profile because MQ-25 execution sits inside a broader Boeing manufacturing and program-delivery reset.
- Stephen Parker - President and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Timeline
Events
- 2026-10-16 - Contract Award - Boeing awarded up to $80 million MQ-25A support contract
Contract N0001927D1006 was not competitively procured. Work is based in St. Louis and is expected to finish in October 2031. Funding will be obligated through individual orders; the ceiling is not booked proceeds, delivered aircraft or immediate expenditure.
Source - 2026-10-05 - Contract Award - AeroVironment, Epirus, Kord and Boeing selected for JIATF-401 pilot
Selected systems are AeroVironment's P-HEL, Epirus' Leonidas, Kord's Firefly and Boeing's Compact Laser Weapon System. The evaluation will gather performance, cost, sustainment and operating-practice data in coordination with the FAA, U.S. Northern Command and the services. A separate December shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground will assess additional laser and microwave candidates.
Source - 2026-09-30 - Contract Award - Lockheed Martin awarded up to $57.7 million for MQ-25 MDCX software
The Navy obligated $14,124,363 at award, covering research and procurement funding. Work is scheduled through September 2027 in Marietta, Fort Worth and Patuxent River. The sole-source contract includes a qualification-tested software build and integrated testing.
Source - 2026-08-10 - Acquisition - Archer agrees to acquire Boeing’s Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid subsidiaries
Wisk adds six generations of autonomous eVTOL development and more than 1,700 flight tests. Insitu has built more than 3,500 uncrewed aircraft systems deployed across 35 countries and generates more than $200 million in annual revenue. SkyGrid contributes aircraft-agnostic airspace-management software; the acquired businesses bring nearly two million combined flight hours of operating data.
Source - 2026-05-19 - Production Milestone - U.S. Navy clears MQ-25A Stingray for low-rate initial production
The decision followed the April 2026 first flight of a production-representative MQ-25A aircraft. Milestone C moved the carrier-based uncrewed refuelling programme from engineering development into initial production. The aircraft is intended to extend carrier-air-wing range by transferring fuel to crewed aircraft.
Source - 2026-04-27 - Demonstration - First production Boeing MQ-25 completes maiden flight
Louis Airport, Missouri, home of Boeing’s production facilities, accompanied by a company-owned TA-4J Skyhawk and a U.S. The flight, initially planned by the end of 2025, marks a major milestone in the service’s effort to field the first operational carrier-based unmanned aircraft.
Source - 2026-04-25 - Capability - Boeing MQ-25A completes first flight with Rolls-Royce power
The two-hour flight autonomously executed a programmed mission comprising taxi, take-off, flight manoeuvres and landing. The flight validated integration with the MD-5 ground control station as the programme moved toward carrier integration testing. Rolls-Royce planned four additional spare-engine deliveries in 2026; the MQ-25A programme of record covers 76 aircraft plus spare engines.
Source - 2026-04-21 - Product Launch - Boeing outlines Chinook-launched drone-swarm concept
#26Summit pic.twitter.com/FK2zandPmx — Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) April 14, 2026 The Chinook would also be much better able to handle larger launched effects. Heather McBryan, the Vice President and H-47 Program Manager at Boeing, said the company is now “working very closely” with the Army in terms of what additional capability it wants to add to future Block II production lots.
Source - 2026-03-31 - Partnership - Rheinmetall and Boeing establish German MQ-28 integration partnership
Rheinmetall is to act as a German system integrator, incorporating locally sourced sensors, effectors, communications and mission systems around Boeing’s MQ-28 platform. The partnership is structured to support German requirements and sovereign integration work rather than simply importing a fixed aircraft configuration. The March announcement preceded later additions to the German industrial team; it is not a new 10 August event.
Source - 2025-03-25 - Demonstration - MQ-28 fleet completes 100th flight
The milestone followed the exact MQ-28 aircraft’s first flight in March 2021. The 100-flight campaign supported subsequent operational-effectiveness and multi-aircraft teaming demonstrations. MQ-28 remained a test and demonstration programme at the milestone date.
Source - 2023-12-20 - Production Milestone - U.S. Navy accepts the first Boeing Orca XLUUV test asset
XLE0 was the Navy’s first delivered unmanned diesel-electric submarine test asset. The vehicle began in-water testing in Huntington Beach in spring 2023. The Navy said lessons from XLE0 would inform five follow-on Orca vehicles numbered XLUUV 1 through 5.
Source - 2023-08-28 - Executive Hire - SkyGrid appoints Jia Xu CEO as Boeing adds investment
Xu previously served as Honeywell Aerospace CTO for unmanned aerial systems and urban air mobility. His earlier work included autonomy and advanced-air-mobility roles at Airbus, General Atomics and RAND. SkyGrid said the Boeing investment would accelerate secure third-party services for remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft.
Source - 2021-06-04 - Demonstration - MQ-25 T1 conducts first unmanned aerial refueling with Navy F/A-18
The MQ-25 program completed the first aerial refueling operation between a manned receiver aircraft and an unmanned tanker. During the flight, the Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet approached Boeing's MQ-25 T1 test asset, completed formation and wake checks, and plugged into the tanker. The demonstration validated a core mission for moving unmanned aircraft into carrier air wing support roles.
Source - 2019-06-25 - Partnership - Kitty Hawk and Boeing partner on urban air mobility
The companies announced their strategic partnership on June 25, 2019. The collaboration paired Kitty Hawk's Cora electric-aircraft programme with Boeing's aerospace engineering and scale. Both parties framed the work around safe urban air mobility and the technical and regulatory systems needed to support it.
Source - 2019-04-23 - Contract Award - Boeing awards Curtiss-Wright MQ-25 data-systems contract
The aircraft data-system solution supports the carrier-based unmanned aerial-refuelling programme. The engineering and manufacturing development contract covered four MQ-25 aircraft for the U.S. Navy. Curtiss-Wright said the programme would require six additional engineers and technicians.
Source - 2018-08-30 - Contract Award - U.S. Navy awards Boeing $805.3 million MQ-25A development contract
The fixed-price-incentive contract covered design, fabrication, testing, delivery and carrier-air-wing integration support. NAVAIR described MQ-25A as the first operational carrier-based unmanned refuelling aircraft. The programme focused its key performance requirements on aerial tanking and carrier suitability.
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Relations
Relationships
- Rheinmetall
Mq 28 German System Integration Partner - Rheinmetall and Boeing are developing a German MQ-28 integration and industrial offering.
- Aurora Flight Sciences
Parent Company - Aurora Flight Sciences is a wholly owned Boeing subsidiary that continues to operate under the Aurora name.
- Liquid Robotics
Current Parent - Boeing acquired Liquid Robotics, which continues to operate and sell the Wave Glider platform under its established brand.
- U.S. Navy
Mq 25 Customer - The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing an $805.3 million design-build contract for the MQ-25A Stingray unmanned carrier aviation air system.
- JIATF-401
Evaluation Participant - Selected to participate in the JIATF-401 directed-energy counter-drone evaluation programme.
- Archer Aviation
Relationship Counterpart - Boeing agreed to sell Wisk Aero, Insitu and SkyGrid to Archer and take an equity stake in Archer.
- Donecle
Aircraft Oem Authorization - Boeing authorized Donecle drone-based inspections in aircraft maintenance manuals.
- Kitty Hawk
Strategic Partner - Kitty Hawk and Boeing partnered to advance the Cora urban-air-mobility programme.
Context
Commercial
- Boeing awarded up to $80 million MQ-25A support contract
2026-10-16 · Order / contract · Naval Air Systems Command awarded Boeing an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with an $80 million ceiling for MQ-25A configuration development, integration, production readiness and sustainment. No funds were obligated at award.
Source - AeroVironment, Epirus, Kord and Boeing selected for JIATF-401 pilot
2026-10-05 · Order / contract · The directed-energy counter-drone programme will evaluate laser and microwave systems in operational homeland-defence settings.
Source - Lockheed Martin awarded up to $57.7 million for MQ-25 MDCX software
2026-09-30 · Order / contract · The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin an undefinitized contract capped at $57,710,427 for MDCX software development, qualification, integration and field support for the MQ-25 test programme.
Source - Boeing awards Curtiss-Wright MQ-25 data-systems contract
2019-04-23 · Order / contract · Boeing contracted Curtiss-Wright to supply aircraft data technology systems for the MQ-25 carrier-based unmanned aerial-refuelling programme.
Source - U.S. Navy awards Boeing $805.3 million MQ-25A development contract
2018-08-30 · Order / contract · The U.S. Navy selected Boeing for an $805.3 million ceiling-price contract to develop, build, test and support four MQ-25A Stingray aircraft.
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