The MQ-25A is designed primarily for aerial refueling and is expected to extend the strike range of the U.S. Carrier Air Wing while allowing Carrier Strike Groups to operate farther from potential threats. Rolls-Royce said the platform will also help improve service member safety and support maritime security and awareness objectives outlined in the National Defense Strategy.
In addition to aerial refueling, the unmanned aircraft is equipped to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Rolls-Royce said the AE 3007N’s high-bypass-ratio 5:1 architecture delivers low specific fuel consumption, which supports long-endurance operations.
During the two-hour flight, the MQ-25A autonomously carried out a digitally programmed mission that included taxiing, takeoff, flight maneuvers and landing. The flight also validated the integration of the AE 3007N engine with the aircraft and the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System MD-5 ground control station that connects the platform.
“The Rolls-Royce AE 3007N engine was integral to the successful first flight of the MQ-25A Stingray, which will greatly enhance the range and capability of the U.S. Carrier Air Wing,” Meagan Rater, Rolls-Royce director of U.S. mature programs for defense, said.
“We are honored the U.S. Navy has, once again, put its trust in our proven, reliable family of high-performance AE engines for this critical new unmanned platform. We continue to work closely with the U.S. Navy and Boeing to make the MQ-25A a reality for our service members, giving them a key strategic advantage in contested environments,” she added.
Rolls-Royce said it expects to deliver four additional AE 3007N engines to Boeing in 2026 to support production spares. The company said the MQ-25A program currently includes 76 aircraft, along with spare engines.
AE engines are currently used across 16 commercial and military platforms worldwide, Rolls-Royce said. The company added that more than 7,500 U.S.-made AE engines have been delivered and have accumulated more than 90 million flight hours.
Rolls-Royce said its U.S. defense business continues to invest in domestic jobs, supply chains and industrial competitiveness in line with national defense priorities. The company said it has invested $1.5 billion in U.S. manufacturing facilities over the past decade and that its operations contributed $6.2 billion to the U.S. economy in 2024.
