# MQ-25 Stingray — Program Element 0207255N

**Program element:** 0207255N  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N

## Summary

U.S. Navy requests $513.3M in FY2027 against nothing enacted in FY2026, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. Boeing leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 0.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 513.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 1,212.0 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 1,011.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 767.6 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 979.5 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 513.3 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 513.3 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 513.3 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 513.3 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3278 | MQ-25 Air System (AS) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 440.3 | new start |
| 3279 | Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System | 0.0 | 0.0 | 73.0 | new start |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 3278 — MQ-25 Air System (AS)

The scope of the program includes, but is not limited to, system level requirements identification, allocation of requirements to segments and components, design, development, integration, fabrication, test, training, and support activities to provide the MQ-25 capabilities. To provide these capabilities, MQ-25 will transition technologies from other programs and adapt them into the carrier environment. MQ-25 will deliver the necessary air vehicles, command, control, connectivity, shipboard and land-based launch and recovery control systems, associated support systems, interfaces, and upgrades to other Navy systems (as required) to meet the required capabilities.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Boeing (199.9, 45%), NAWCAD (155.5, 35%), NAWCWD (13.6, 3.1%), Lockheed Martin (6.2, 1.4%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Segment Product Development | 0.0 | 0.0 | 234.6 |
| Lead Systems Integration (LSI) Product Development | 0.0 | 0.0 | 55.1 |
| Stingray to the Fight Product Development | 0.0 | 0.0 | 64.9 |
| Management | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 |
| Test and Evaluation | 0.0 | 0.0 | 81.4 |
| Support | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 3279 — Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System

The Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA) Mission Control System (UMCS) program develops, modifies, builds, integrates, and installs control systems, afloat and ashore, required to operate the MQ-25A, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and future unmanned systems. UMCS will have to modify existing systems or develop new capabilities to support the control of different unmanned systems. With limited space on the aircraft carriers, the control station software will be modified to enable control of multiple aircraft from a single cockpit. The Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System program includes what was previously identified as the Control System & Connectivity (CS&C) and Carrier Vessel, Nuclear (CVN) Integration (CVNI) Segments previously captured under the MQ-25 Development PU 3278. The UMCS program, PU 3279, is the system-of-systems required for MQ-25 vehicle and payload control both shipboard and shore based. UMCS consists of all ground and ship-based hardware, software, and networks associated with the planning and execution of flight operations and tactical missions. In addition to the Ground Control Station (GCS), consisting of Air Vehicle Pilot (AVP) workstations and servers, the UMCS program builds hardware to support line of sight (LOS) communications, beyond line of sight (BLOS) satellite communications (SATCOM), and integration with ship/shore-based systems. There are three variants of the GCS: MD-5C (CVN-based), MD-5D (Shore-based) and MD-5E (Embarkable system) for use on CVNs that do not yet have permanent GCS systems installed. UMCS leverages existing Programs of Record for network integration and LOS/BLOS communications and builds MQ-25 unique systems (e.g. an ARC-210 based LOS communication system and a Video Management System (VidMS) for AVO situational awareness). The GCS, with a dedicated manufacturer for the core component, allows for streamlined software development, supports multiple classification levels, and positions MQ-25A interoperability with other DoW systems. Hardware development and fabrication is one facet of the program. UMCS develops and integrates software and modifies several aircraft carrier spaces to install and integrate the GCS and communication systems, in support of MQ-25A test events and operations aboard select NIMITZ Class CVNs.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Lockheed Martin (48.0, 66%), NAWCAD (21.3, 29%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA) Mission Control System | 0.0 | 0.0 | 73.0 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 87% | 447.9 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 0.1% | 0.6 |
| Other / unspecified | 13% | 64.8 |

**Top named industry performers:** Boeing ($199.9M, 39%), NAWCAD ($176.8M, 34%), Lockheed Martin ($54.2M, 11%), NAWCWD ($13.6M, 2.6%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA) Mission Control System (UMCS) program develops, modifies, builds, integrates, and installs control systems, afloat and ashore, required to operate the MQ-25A, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and future unmanned systems. UMCS will have to modify existing systems or develop new capabilities to support the control of different unmanned systems. With limited space on the aircraft carriers, the control station software will be modified to enable control of multiple aircraft from a single cockpit.

Based on the Government's acquisition strategy approved in April 2017, the MQ-25 program is an evolution from the previous Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program and is an Acquisition Category (ACAT) IB program managed by Program Executive Office, Unmanned Aviation & Strike Weapons (PEO(U&W)), PMA-268 Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA) Program Office. Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2430(d)(1), the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) is ASN(RDA). MQ-25 requirements are aligned with the UCLASS Initial Capabilities Document (ICD) and the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Family of Systems (FoS) Initial Capabilities Document, which highlight the need for carrier-based refueling and persistent ISR capabilities.

## Related program elements

- [0605414N — Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605414N) (Navy)
- [0603618D8Z — Joint Electronic Advanced Technology](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603618D8Z) (Defense-Wide)
- [0307577N — Intelligence Mission Data (IMD)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0307577N) (Navy)
- [0605057F — Next Generation Air-refueling System (NGAS)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605057F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0207255N (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0207255N")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*