The first Unmanned Air Warfare Center (UAVC) for MQ-25 tanker UAVs has been installed on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). NAVAIR's official X account shared the images of the Unmanned Air Warfare Center, stating that the installation was a multi-year process. The command and control systems have brought MQ-25 closer to operational capability in the U.S. Navy.
The control panels will mainly be used for MQ-25 tanker UAVs, which are set to increase the range and endurance of fighter jets onboard the U.S. aircraft carriers. The UAV uses an under-fuselage pod with a drogue-type probe for mid-air refuelling. So far, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-35C have been refuelled by MQ-25 during the tests with their retractable probes. In addition to refuelling capability, the MQ-25 has RCS reduction measures, such as the angled body form and topside air intakes. Recently, Boeing has shown a Strike/ISR variant of the MQ-25 armed with AGM-158C LRASM anti-ship cruise missiles and an EOTS similar to that of the F-35 on the nose.
This UMCS will be essential for controlling the MQ-25 unmanned aerial refuelling aircraft. The Navy, in collaboration with Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works® and its Multi-Domain Combat System (MDCX™), developed the Ground Control Station (GCS) and its associated technology.
Starting in fiscal year 2025, the hardware now installed on the carrier will serve as the foundation for similar systems planned for other carriers, including CVNs 70, 71, and 76. The USS George H.W. Bush will conduct the first sea trials of the UAWC’s operational networks early next year, following preliminary network testing using a simulated GCS on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) this past January.
The move made the U.S. the first to convert Aircraft Carriers to UAWCs. The country was known for using UAS in maritime operations. Turkiye first declared its intention to convert TCG Anadolu L 400 into a UCAV operation vessel. When ready, TCG Anadolu L400 will accommodate TB3 and Kızılelma UCAVs onboard.
