The first painted MQ‑25A Stingray sits on the ramp outside Boeing’s dedicated MQ‑25 production facility in Mascoutah, Ill. on Aug. 31, 2026, having been painted ahead of continued developmental testing. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

The Navy on Monday awarded Boeing [BA] $562 million in its first MQ-25A Stingray unmanned carrier-based tanker production contract. This is a fixed price incentive contract specifically for Stingray Lot 1 Low Rate Initial Production aircraft (LRIP), funding for three LRIP MQ-25As and further funding for advanced acquisition of long lead components to support three LRIP Lot 2 aircraft. The Navy said the initial deliveries for Lot 1 are expected to start in 2029. This contract follows the MQ-25A receiving…