MQ-25 US Navy Stingray Program

Sub-scale and Full-Scale Aerial Targets and RPAs - Remotely-Piloted Aircraft
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by Corsair1963 » 03 Sep 2018, 09:52

Not really surprising but disappointing nonetheless. As the Lockheed Martin MQ-25A had far more potential..... "IMHO" :bang:


MQ-25-unmanned-tanker.png


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by hornetfinn » 03 Sep 2018, 11:31

hythelday wrote:
hornetfinn wrote: It would also be interesting to develop a cargo variant to replace C-2 Greyhound.


How will that thing deliver a F135? :shock:


I was thinking slightly larger and possibly more powerful variant for cargo ops but with otherwise similar layout. Of course USN has Ospreys for that now, but maybe in the future they could use MQ-25 type UAS for that role.


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by blain » 04 Sep 2018, 20:29

noth wrote:So with 72 to be ordered, how many per CAW would you think they'd assigned?


I think previously they mentioned six, which isn't that much when you consider at least 1 will need to support cyclic ops.


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by Corsair1963 » 05 Sep 2018, 02:28

blain wrote:
noth wrote:So with 72 to be ordered, how many per CAW would you think they'd assigned?


I think previously they mentioned six, which isn't that much when you consider at least 1 will need to support cyclic ops.



Well, the MQ-25's don't have pilots and can be turned around rather quickly. So, considering only half our Carriers are ever deployed at a single time. (usually less) Means we should have more than enough Tankers to go around...


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by litzj » 02 Feb 2022, 03:30

https://jaesan-aero.blogspot.com/2022/01/mq-25-analysis-w-openvsp-and.html

Own Reverse Engineering(?) of MQ-25 and Analysis

Sizing and OpenVSP + in-house code for Mission Analysis

As a result, aerodynamic model + empty weight 6.5t w/ 1.7t internal fuel satisfy known USN's ROC deliverying 7.2t fuel at 500nm. It would be very much fuel-saving option than current Super Hornet tanker.

L/D is 12~17 during mission profile similar to level of airliner due to the effort of high AR straight wing. Directional instability is shown because highly canted v-tail did not produce enough projected area. Canted angle less than 60deg can make aircraft stable but 70deg is more probable from public image. This instability is probably supplemented by yaw-damper control configuration.

Mission analysis shows that aircraft can have very long range if it can use refueling gas for its own as long as twin aisle airliners.

2x500lb patrol at 25kft or 35kft results 500~770nm range or 2~3hr patrol time except climb and descent phase.

If fuel on board can be fully used (extracting more internal fuel from excepting external fuel from maximum fuel), 2000nm radius or 10hr patrol.


- Conclusion

Conventional glider or MQ-xx style design gave highly efficient patrol or cruise mission; small number of MQ-25 could cover 24hr or long range mission.

Although MQ-25 is not suited for high level threat environment, it could cover most of low level threat mission requiring exhausting sorties for expensive manned aircraft like Super Hornet and Lightning.

Still there is no 100% credit for unmanned aircraft for complex mission; MQ-25 can be good option fulfill most of the proven unmanned mission like aerial-refuel, ISR, low-level threat patrol, and simple ammunition launch.

Probably USN judged that X-47 like aircraft is still far-ahead for current maturity of unmanned missions.


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by madrat » 02 Feb 2022, 12:59

We should expect a high attrition rate with these drones. Drones crash a lot.


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by spazsinbad » 20 Mar 2022, 05:44

What is the crash rate of 'Unmanned combat aerial vehicles' of which the STINGRAY is one as called by BOING! & it is controlled both by humans with main inflight control by computer robot, demonstrated by the X-47B rather nicely.


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