Summary and key points: The importance of manned aircraft is gradually decreasing as drone technology advances. A significant advance was made on the USS George HW Bush, where the world’s first drone warfare control room was installed on this aircraft carrier.

-This facility will soon house operators of the MQ-25 Stingray, a refueling drone designed to extend the range of U.S. Navy fighter jets such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35C. The control room is a key development in the integration of drones into carrier operations. Similar facilities are planned for other carriers.

-The MQ-25 is just the beginning. Future drones will likely take on even more important roles.

USS George HW Bush: Home of the world’s first drone warfare control room

The manned aircraft is becoming less important over time as drones become more sophisticated. One such step was recently taken aboard the USS George H.W. Bush Aircraft carrier on which the world’s first drone warfare center or control room has been established. In the near future, the control room will house the operators of the MQ-25 Stingray refueling drone.

“The ground control station was part of a multi-year effort that took place aboard the Bush during multiple ship maintenance stops and between deployments, said the Naval Air Systems Command, or NAVAIR,” Navy Times said reported.

The control room will consist of software, hardware and the world’s first operational unmanned mission control system for carrier-based aircraft. At-sea testing of the control room is planned for early 2025. Once operational, the Navy will be a major step closer to integrating the Stingray drones into the carrier’s fleet.

The drones are coming

The MQ-25 Stingray is used to refuel fighter jets in the air. According to the Stingray’s manufacturer, the beleaguered Boeing, the refueling drone will extend the combat range of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the EA-18G Growler and the F-35C Lightning II. “The MQ-25 offers the right combination of refueling, autonomy and seamless carrier deck integration to meet the U.S. Navy’s objectives,” Boeing boasted.

Essentially, the MQ-25 will be critical in enabling the Navy’s fighter jets to stay in the air longer – “a capability that would be particularly helpful should war break out with China in the waters of the Western Pacific,” according to Navy Times. reported.

For propulsion, the MQ-25 is equipped with a Rolls-Royce AE 3007N turbofan engine that produces 10,000 pounds of thrust. The 3007N engine is also used in the MQ-4C Triton drone.

The MQ-25 is not stealthy. It does not have a low radar cross-section fuselage design nor a flush intake to protect the engine blades from radar detection, suggesting that the MQ-25 was primarily intended to be used as a refueling drone. Nevertheless, the MQ-25 has two under-wing suspension points to attach the AGM-158C LRASM anti-ship missile.

The MQ-25 is 51 feet long and has a 75-foot wingspan. The wings can be folded to 31 feet for more compact storage aboard an aircraft carrier.

Of course, the MQ-25, which will play a supporting role, is probably just a first step. Soon, drones could take the main role. The control room will facilitate further steps towards drone integration. The next step may well be the operation of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) to complement the sixth-generation fighter jet, Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD). The NGAD program appears to be on hold, which also means uncertainty for the CCA, but in all likelihood the CCA or something similar will be in development in the near future.

Similar control rooms are planned for installation on board the USS Carl VinsonUSS Theodore Rooseveltand USS Ronald Reagan beginning in the 2025 financial year.

About the author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer who has written over 1,000 articles on world affairs. Harrison is a lawyer, pilot, guitarist, and part-time professional hockey player. He joined the U.S. Air Force as a student pilot but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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