{"id":6117,"date":"2019-09-20T21:49:04","date_gmt":"2019-09-21T02:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planesintheair.com\/?p=6117"},"modified":"2019-09-20T22:12:42","modified_gmt":"2019-09-21T03:12:42","slug":"boeing-mq-25-aerial-refueler-completes-first-test-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/?p=6117","title":{"rendered":"Boeing MQ-25 Aerial Refueler Completes First Test Flight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Successful test puts U.S. Navy\u2019s first operational unmanned aerial refueler a step closer to the carrier fleet<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ST. LOUIS, Sept. 19, 2019<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Boeing [NYSE: <a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/quote\/BA?p=BA&amp;.tsrc=fin-srch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"BA (opens in a new tab)\">BA<\/a>] and the U.S. Navy today successfully completed the first test flight of the MQ-25\u2122 unmanned aerial refueler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, completed the autonomous two-hour flight under the direction of Boeing test pilots operating from a ground control station at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Ill., where the test program is based. The aircraft completed an autonomous taxi and takeoff and then flew a pre-determined route to validate the aircraft\u2019s basic flight functions and operations with the ground control station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSeeing MQ-25 in the sky is a testament to our Boeing and Navy team working the technology, systems and processes that are helping get MQ-25 to the carrier,\u201d said Boeing MQ-25 Program Director Dave Bujold. \u201cThis aircraft and its flight test program ensures we\u2019re delivering the MQ-25 to the carrier fleet with the safety, reliability and capability the U.S. Navy needs to conduct its vital mission.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Boeing-owned test asset is a predecessor to the engineering development model (EDM) aircraft and is being used for early learning and discovery to meet the goals of the U.S. Navy\u2019s accelerated acquisition program. Boeing will produce four EDM MQ-25 air vehicles for the U.S. Navy under an $805 million contract awarded in August 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The MQ-25 will provide the Navy with a much-needed carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling capability. It will allow for better use of the combat strike fighters currently performing the tanking role and will extend the range of the carrier air wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s flight is an exciting and significant milestone for our program and the Navy,\u201d said the Navy\u2019s Unmanned Carrier Aviation (PMA-268) Program Manager Capt. Chad Reed. \u201cThe flight of this test asset two years before our first MQ-25 arrives represents the first big step in a series of early learning opportunities that are helping us progress toward delivery of a game-changing capability for the carrier air wing and strike group commanders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>T1 received its experimental airworthiness certificate from the FAA in September, verifying that the air vehicle meets the agency\u2019s requirements for safe flight. Testing will continue with T1 to further early learning and discovery that advances major systems and software development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"711\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/MQ-25_FF_3_med-res.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/MQ-25_FF_3_med-res.jpg 711w, https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/MQ-25_FF_3_med-res-300x211.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px\" \/><figcaption>Boeing and the U.S. Navy successfully completed the first test flight of the MQ-25\u2122 unmanned aerial refueler Sept. 19. The MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, completed the autonomous two-hour flight under the direction of Boeing test pilots operating from a ground control station at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Ill., where the test program is based. (Boeing photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Navy today successfully completed the first test flight of the MQ-25\u2122 unmanned aerial refueler. The MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, completed the <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4510,4813,89,5804,799,5637,1836,5174,5670,2203,5446,1397,868],"tags":[1052,92,4427,5434,160,41,1925,5202,5521,430,2908,1268,2020,6987,3102,2647,177,1671,1483,660,1555,2725,6986,6985,6983,769,6981,1981,412,6982,252,4470,6984,3117,1054,1646,631,1271],"class_list":["post-6117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aerospace-news","category-airplane-news","category-aviation-news","category-avionics","category-boeing-news","category-business-news","category-defense-news","category-drone-news","category-economy-news","category-finance-news","category-military-news","category-stock-news","category-transportation-news","tag-aerial","tag-airport","tag-airworthiness","tag-asset","tag-aviation","tag-boeing","tag-carrier","tag-certificate","tag-completes","tag-contract","tag-control","tag-defense","tag-development","tag-edm","tag-engineering","tag-experimental","tag-faa","tag-first","tag-fleet","tag-flight","tag-ground","tag-illinois","tag-mascoutah","tag-midamerica","tag-missouri","tag-model","tag-mq-25","tag-navy","tag-news","tag-refueler","tag-st-louis","tag-station","tag-t1","tag-takeoff","tag-taxi","tag-test","tag-u-s","tag-unmanned"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6117"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6117\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6126,"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6117\/revisions\/6126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/planesintheair.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}