Navy Ship Reportedly Operates MQ-25 Thousands of Miles Away

Aviation Week reports that shipboard operators aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) operated a Boeing MQ-25 uncrewed aircraft during a test on October 19, 2026. The aircraft was reportedly thousands of miles from the ship. The report attributes the test announcement to Naval Air Systems Command.

The MQ-25 reportedly operated thousands of miles from USS Ronald Reagan during the test.

What has been confirmed

The available fact set classifies the reported test, distance, and announcement as likely, not officially confirmed. It provides no exact distance. Aviation Week says the test took place ahead of the MQ-25’s first carrier-based flight, but gives no date for that flight.

Why it matters

The reported test links a ship at sea with an uncrewed aircraft operating far away. For naval aviation, that demonstrates a control approach relevant to managing aircraft across long distances, although the available information does not describe the system or test results in detail.

FlyMarshall context

The MQ-25 is an uncrewed aircraft intended for carrier operations. Carrier-based testing helps teams evaluate how an aircraft and its control systems work with the ship environment. This report describes shipboard control during an at-sea test, not a carrier-based flight.

What happens next

The fact set gives no date for the MQ-25’s first carrier-based flight and no further test schedule. The reported test remains unconfirmed by an official source in the material provided.