Lockheed Martin has released concept images of a refueling drone it's working on for a U.S. Navy competition. The MQ-25 "Stingray" design is under development at the company's Skunk Works, and will compete with entries from Boeing and General Atomics. The Navy wants the drone to be capable of carrying 14,000 pounds of fuel to refuel combat jets, with a range of 500 NM, and it must be able to operate from an aircraft carrier. The contract is due to be awarded in September. The Navy has said it plans to buy the first four drones in 2023 and start to operate them from aircraft carriers in 2026. Ultimately, the Navy will operate a fleet of 72 of the refueling drones.
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