X-47B Salty Dog 501 flies over USS Theodore Roosevelt on Aug. 17, 2014. US Naval Institute Photo
WASHINGTON, D.C. — To keep U.S. carriers relevant into the 21st century, the Navy needs to restart development of a lethal unmanned aircraft to fly from carrier decks, according to a new study on the future of the carrier air wing. Read More
USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of USNI News year-end series. Read More
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson talks with sailors stationed at Navy Support Facility Panama City during an all-hands call Dec. 12, 2018. US Navy Photo
THE PENTAGON – The timeline for fielding several major ship and weapons programs has been bumped up to “as soon as possible,” the chief of naval operations said, to counter Russian and Chinese military modernization. Read More
Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson visits Indonesia to meet with Indonesia navy leadership and to reaffirm the U.S. Navy’s commitment to strengthen the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Indonesia on Oct. 20, 2018. US Navy Photo
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson lays out aggressive acquisition goals and overhauls in how the Navy develops new technologies and implements operating concepts in a sweeping 2.0 revision of his Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority. The push to field new kit and concepts is his effort to ready the Navy for not only high-end warfare but also gray-zone conflict and other challenges related to Russian and Chinese aggression that the service and joint force will have to confront, according to a copy of the document reviewed by USNI News on Monday. Read More
Testing Boeing’s MQ-25A Stingray prototype in St. Louis. Boeing Image
Boeing landed the contract to build the Navy’s unmanned carrier-based refueling aircraft thanks to what company executives described as an aggressive up-front research and development investment. Read More
An undated picture of five F-35B and a single F-35C. Lockheed Martin Photo
Lockheed Martin officials say their loss to Boeing in three recent aircraft competitions indicates that Pentagon weapon buyers are valuing low price tags over high-tech capabilities, which may lead the company to question its participation in some future competitions. Read More
Tests of Boeing’s MQ-25A Stringray prototype in St. Louis. Boeing Image
This post has been updated to include comments from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and Navy acquisition chief James Geurts.
THE PENTAGON – Boeing will build the first unmanned aircraft to be a permanent part of the U.S. Navy’s carrier air wing, Navy officials announced Thursday. Read More
MQ-25A Stingray concepts
Top to Bottom: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Atomics
ST. LOUIS — After years of requirements churn and program uncertainty, the signal to companies vying to build the Navy’s first operational unmanned carrier aircraft is crystal clear: the Navy wants the MQ-25A Stingray as soon as possible. Read More
Lockheed Martin MQ-25A Concept. Lockheed Martin Image
Lockheed Martin unveiled its concept for the Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial tanker in a series of images provided to USNI News on Monday by the company. Read More
An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye assigned to the Tigertails of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 taxis across the flight deck during flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on Oct. 15, 2015. US Navy Photo
The Navy and Marine Corps requested just $1.7 billion in additional spending in their Fiscal Year 2019 unfunded priorities lists, an annual list to Congress of projects not covered by the formal budget request – a fraction of last year’s combined $8.2 billion in requests from the two services. Read More
