U.S. Navy Aerial Refueling Drone Refuels F-35 for the First Time

The U.S. Navy announced Tuesday that the service in partnership with Boeing has successfully carried out aerial refueling of F-35 fighter jet using an unmanned aircraft for the first time.

According to a recent news release, the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation (PMA-268) program completed its first aerial refueling of an F-35C Lightning II aircraft by the Boeing-owned MQ-25 test asset, known as T1, as part of the Navy’s broader initiative to field unmanned systems that transform and enhance the fleet’s capability, capacity and lethality.

The integrated Navy and Boeing MQ-25 team, in coordination with the F-35 program, conducted the refueling flight Sept. 13 near MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois.