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

**Program element:** 0207255N — MQ-25 Stingray  
**Project:** 3278  
**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/3278  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N

## Summary

Project 3278 — MQ-25 Air System (AS) requests $440.3M in FY2027, 86% of the $513.3M requested for program element 0207255N — a new start, with no prior-year and no current-year money. 6 R-2A activities decompose the request, 6 new this cycle. Boeing is the largest named R-3 performer at $199.9M, 45% of the project's FY2027 R-3 total.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 0.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 440.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 1,121.8 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 929.9 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 689.7 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 900.9 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 0207255N; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project 3278 buys

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.

**R-3 lines of work:** Product Development; Support; Test and Evaluation; Management Services.

## Named R-3 performers

| Performer | $M | Share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing | 199.9 | 45% |
| NAWCAD | 155.5 | 35% |
| NAWCWD | 13.6 | 3.1% |
| Lockheed Martin | 6.2 | 1.4% |

> Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations. Shares need not reach 100% — unnamed and government work is in the denominator.

## Activities (R-2A) — 6

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Segment Product Development | 0.0 | 0.0 | 234.6 | new | [a0](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N/3278/a0) |
| Test and Evaluation | 0.0 | 0.0 | 81.4 | new | [a4](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N/3278/a4) |
| Stingray to the Fight Product Development | 0.0 | 0.0 | 64.9 | new | — |
| Lead Systems Integration (LSI) Product Development | 0.0 | 0.0 | 55.1 | new | [a1](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N/3278/a1) |
| Management | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 | new | — |
| Support | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | new | — |

> Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. In the request year they partition this project exactly; in earlier years they can under-cover it.

### Air Segment Product Development — NEW START

Continue developmental test and evaluation of EDM3 towards completion of first carrier suitability events. Continue development, design, software integration, and delivery of EDM1, EDM2, EDM4 and SDTA1 to the test program. Continue development of MD-5 integration software. Continue development and redesign of obsolete critical flight…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N/3278/a0

### Test and Evaluation — NEW START

Continue to support development, implementation, and sustainment of test facilities, range, and lab test requirements. Support test execution to the Test and Evaluation Master Plan, support engineering events, and program management activities. Support activities in Modeling and Simulation development to include validation and…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N/3278/a4

### Stingray to the Fight Product Development — NEW START

**FY2027 planned work.** Begin hardware and software development and integration efforts to incorporate Stingray to the Fight capabilities.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Increase from FY26 value of $0.000M (under PE 0605414N) by $64.933M to $64.933M in FY27 is to incrementally fund efforts toward achieving Stingray to the Fight capabilities.

### Lead Systems Integration (LSI) Product Development — NEW START

Continue Air System and UMCS GCS development, design, and integration activities in support of flight test and carrier suitability certifications. Continue Cyber Security efforts to maintain Authority to Operate (ATO) certifications for the System Test and Integration Lab (STIL), Lab Revitalization Program and test facilities. Continue…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N/3278/a1

### Management — NEW START

**FY2027 planned work.** Continue oversight, coordination, and management of MQ-25 acquisition, system interface, and integration activities. Oversee contract activities, to include execution of the EMD contract, travel, and training. Conduct engineering and logistics management tasks. Maintain security and program office environments.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Decrease from FY26 value of $6.987M (under PE 0605414N) by $3.357M to $3.630M in FY27 is due to personnel transition from development to production efforts.

### Support — NEW START

**FY2027 planned work.** Continue to evaluate and track maintainability and obsolescence issues including their impact on supportability. Continue engine container testing and any additional follow-on training and courseware development. Complete the development of the MQ-25 Structure Repair Manual that provides guidelines, design and procedures for identifying and repairing the MQ-25 aircraft.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Decrease from FY26 value of $3.421M (under PE 0605414N) by $2.757M to $0.664M in FY27 is due to personnel transition from development to production efforts.

## What is NOT on this page

Congressional marks, the R-2 mission description and acquisition strategy, the industry vs government split of the whole request, and related program elements are recorded at **program-element** grain — an NDAA mark lands on a PE, never on a project. They are at https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207255N.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 0207255N project 3278 (PB PB2027).
- **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.*