The aircraft carrier George HW Bush now has the world’s first drone air warfare center, a control room that will house operators of the MQ-25 Stingray refueling drone in the not-too-distant future, the Navy confirmed.
The ground control station was part of a multi-year effort that took place aboard the Bush during several of the ship’s maintenance missions and between missions, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) said.
In addition to the necessary software and hardware, the drone nerve center features the first fully functional and integrated mission control system for unmanned carrier-based aircraft, which the command says is critical to the operational use of the Stingray.
According to NAVAIR, Bush will conduct sea tests of the center early next year.
The control station is the latest step toward the Stingray’s integration into the fleet. It is designed to refuel fighter jets in flight, helping the naval strike weapon stay in the air longer – a capability that would be particularly useful if war with China were to break out in the vast waters of the Western Pacific.
The establishment of Bush’s drone control room “lays the foundation” for how the Navy will operate and control unmanned aircraft, Capt. Daniel Fucito, program manager for unmanned carrier aviation (PMA-268), said in a statement.
While such systems are initially intended to support the Stingray, they are also intended to be used for unmanned systems of other armed forces, such as the US Air Force’s joint fighter aircraft program, which aims to couple aerial drones with unmanned aircraft in a so-called “air squadron of the future”.
According to NAVAIR, the installation of such systems on board the sister ships Carl Vinson, Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan is also planned from the 2025 fiscal year.
Geoff is the editor in chief of Military Times, but he still enjoys writing stories. He has covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any tips at [email protected].
