With the groundbreaking installation of a drone command center on board its supercarriers, the United States is moving full steam ahead into the future of naval warfare.

This month, The War Zone reported that the USS George HW Bush (CVN-77), a US Navy Nimitz-class supercarrier, was recently equipped with a dedicated Unmanned Air Warfare Center (UAWC), making it the first aircraft of its kind to have such a facility.

According to the War Zone report, the UAWC is the operational headquarters for modern unmanned aircraft, including the MQ-25 Stingray tanker drones and future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

It notes that this development is part of the US Navy’s broader plan to install UAWCs on all Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers. The report states that the UAWC features the MD-5E Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (GCS), developed by the US Navy in collaboration with Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works.

The War Zone notes that the GCS is designed to support the MQ-25’s primary mission of extending the carrier squadron’s range while reducing reliance on F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters for refueling.

The report mentions that despite delays and cost overruns since awarding Boeing’s Carrier-Based Air Refueling System (CBARS) contract in 2018, the U.S. Navy is targeting initial operational capability in 2026 and plans to purchase 76 MQ-25 drones.

It states that the USS George HW Bush will begin testing the UAWC’s operational networks at sea early next year, building on initial tests conducted on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).

The integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) on carriers such as the USS George HW Bush underscores the growing need for advanced aerial refueling capabilities, particularly given the vast distances in the Indo-Pacific and evolving threats in the region.

In February 2023, Asia Times noted that the vast distances in the Indo-Pacific make aerial refueling capabilities critical. The challenges of geographic distance can reduce the advantages of a stronger military over a weaker adversary fighting on its home turf.

The United States struggles to win wars far from its territory and faces challenges from anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities. In the Indo-Pacific, aerial refueling is increasingly important to address operational challenges exacerbated by long distances and to improve power projection.

The aging U.S. tanker fleet must increase its capacity to compete with China and Russia. It is critical to support combat aircraft operating from far-flung air bases in the Indo-Pacific region. Aerial refueling allows combat missions to reach over 5,000 miles, and fighter escorts are required to protect the large and vulnerable tankers.

China has developed long-range air-to-air missiles such as the PL-17 that can hit tanker aircraft at close range, making the use of conventional tanker aircraft near the coast a challenge.

This enables small unmanned tanker aircraft with stealth technology to operate near heavily protected airspace and from numerous civil and military airfields.

The MQ-25 Stingray is designed to take over tanker missions from the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, freeing up Super Hornet flight hours. This is part of a broader strategy to improve the effectiveness of U.S. air forces in the Pacific by increasing the range and payload of the aircraft to operate in and penetrate China’s A2/AD bubble.

A stealthy, unmanned tanker could complement upcoming U.S. air force systems such as the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) 6^th-generation aircraft and the B-21 Raider stealth bomber by refueling them for longer missions.

Recent discussions have focused on introducing CCAs as a critical measure to maintain air superiority against sophisticated threats, while maintaining the existing strategic focus on aerial refueling capabilities.

In a February 2024 report for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, Mark Gunzinger and Lawrence Stutzriem emphasize the urgent need for the United States to adopt CCAs to maintain air superiority against advanced threats such as China.

Gunzinger and Lawrence advocate for a mixed fleet of manned and unmanned aircraft that leverages advances in autonomy and AI to operate effectively in contested environments. They emphasize the potential of CCA as a force multiplier that improves the lethality, survivability and capacity of air superiority operations.

They believe that carrier-based CCAs could disrupt enemy air defenses and provide a cost-effective solution to strengthen American air combat capabilities.

They stress the need for immediate action to integrate CCAs into the U.S. Air Force force structure and warn that the current aging aircraft fleet is insufficient to counteract the rapid modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

However, Gunzinger and Lawrence emphasize that CCAs complement rather than replace 5th and future 6th generation fighters, underscoring the need for a balanced approach to air warfare modernization.

This push toward CCAs is complemented by the U.S. Navy’s broader vision for unmanned aircraft, which includes the Navy’s plan to leave a significant portion of its carrier squadrons unmanned.

In April 2023, The War Zone reported that the U.S. Navy plans to make its future carrier squadrons 60% unmanned aircraft, as revealed by Rear Admiral Andrew “Bucket” Loiselle at a recent Sea-Air-Space conference.

This strategic move is consistent with the broader NGAD program, which emphasizes advanced drones and manned 6th generation stealth fighter jets. The integration of the MD-5 UMCS on three carriers is a step toward this goal and enables control over all purchased UAS.

The War Zone report states that the US Navy and Air Force are working closely together to enable mutual control of their CCAs. It mentions that the MQ-25 Stingray, with its ISR capabilities, is intended to improve operational flexibility by enabling a seamless transfer of control between assets of both military branches.

The War Zone notes that this transition represents a strategic response to the changing nature of warfare, where longer ranges and contested areas require a redesign of carrier battle groups’ effectiveness.

As the U.S. Navy moves toward a future dominated by unmanned aircraft, China is also expanding its naval capabilities, as demonstrated by the commissioning of the world’s first aircraft carrier that uses only drones.

In May 2024, the Asia Times reported that China had launched the world’s first dedicated drone aircraft carrier, a strategic move that could significantly change naval power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.

Built at the Jiangsu Dayang Marine Shipyard on the Yangtze River, this groundbreaking vessel is designed for cost-effective deployment with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in potential conflict scenarios, including with the United States.

The carrier’s design is smaller, with a catamaran hull and a low flight deck for large fixed-wing UAVs. This new ship reflects China’s strategy to simulate Western naval capabilities by building high-tech target ships and drone motherships.

The introduction of the Chinese drone carrier is in line with the increasing role of drones in naval warfare. Drones represent a cost-effective way to demonstrate force and have significant capabilities at a fraction of the cost of conventional carriers.