Palmdale, Calif. – September 30, 2026 -- The U.S. Navy has doubled its fleet capacity to operate the MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aircraft system over a five-month period, standing up a second operational MD-5C Ground Control Station powered by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works MDCX autonomy platform.
USS Ronald Reagan joins USS Theodore Roosevelt as second carrier ready to fly the Stingray
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) received the first operational MD-5C in March 2026, followed by USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in August 2026. The MD-5C, installed in the Unmanned Air Warfare Center aboard each carrier, functions as the dedicated onboard command center for unmanned carrier aviation, combining a government Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence network with Lockheed Martin's MDCX software and hardware and additional government-produced ancillary equipment.
MDCX software gives Navy operators direct command of the Stingray tanker drone
Within the GCS, MDCX serves as the mission planning and execution software that lets Navy operators command and control the MQ-25A, extending carrier air wing reach and freeing manned aircraft for higher-priority missions.
Program manager says pairing unmanned and manned aircraft builds a more resilient fleet
"These two operational unmanned air warfare centers aboard CVN 71 and CVN 76 bring us closer to integrating unmanned carrier aviation into the fleet," said Capt. Daniel Fucito, PMA-268 program manager. "Thanks to the incredible work from our joint Navy and Lockheed Martin team, these carriers are ready to fly the MQ-25A."
Lockheed Martin frames the rollout as the backbone for the Carrier Air Wing of the Future
Ben Tongue, MDCX Program Manager at Lockheed Martin, said the platform is delivering a ready-now, open-architecture command and control system for the fleet, noting that the Navy doubled the number of carriers ready to fly the MQ-25A Stingray in five months. He added that the team is establishing the command and control backbone for the Carrier Air Wing of the Future.
The installation adds to a series of MDCX milestones across ship, shore and flight test, including multi-platform control and scalable operational footprints built on Skunk Works integration expertise.