--- title: "The US Navy Just Used a Drone to Refuel a Fighter Jet in Midair" description: "A drone just refuelled a US fighter jet in midair for the first time, the US Navy announced today." date: "2021-06-07" modified: "2021-06-07" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/navy-drone-refuel-fighter-jet" categories: - "Drones" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "drone" - "Military drones" - "Navy" --- # The US Navy Just Used a Drone to Refuel a Fighter Jet in Midair ![A drone just refuelled a US fighter jet in midair for the first time, the US Navy announced today.]() *\Image: Boeing\* A drone just refueled a US fighter jet in midair for the first time, the [US Navy announced]() today. An uncrewed MQ-25 Stingray, a drone purpose-built for aerial refueling that flew for the first time in September 2019, refueled the Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet after being launched from the MidAmerica Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. The successful test goes to show that uncrewed military aircraft may be able to serve new purposes beyond simply completing reconnaissance missions or wiping out targets. It also frees up the Navy's expensive crewed fighter jets for other tasks. During the flight, the two aircraft got within just 20 feet from each other. The Stingray then extended a hose, which the Super Hornet then connected with to receive fuel. "This flight lays the foundation for integration into the carrier environment, allowing for greater capability toward manned-unmanned teaming concepts," said Brian Corey, rear admiral, who oversees the Navy's Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, in [a statement](). Chad Reed, program manager for the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation program office, called the event "a significant and exciting moment for the Navy." "This is our mission, an unmanned aircraft that frees our strike fighters from the tanker role, and provides the Carrier Air Wing with greater range, flexibility and capability," Reed added. The same drone will now be used for several other testing flights in the coming months. **READ MORE:** [Drone refuels U.S. Navy fighter jet in midair for the first time]() \[*CBS News*\] **More on drones:** *[T]()[he US Military Is Looking for a Drone-Killing Bazooka]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()