Lockheed’s MDCX C2 Platform Powers First U.S. Navy MQ-25A Stingray Flight
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works MDCX C2 platform successfully controlled the maiden flight of the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray from MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, confirming its role as the backbone of the UMCS MD-5 Ground Control Station. This open-architecture solution, selected in 2020 for Boeing’s MQ-25A, underpins Navy carrier-based unmanned operations.
1. Maiden MQ-25A Flight Controlled by MDCX
On April 22, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works MDCX command and control (C2) platform successfully controlled the first flight of the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray unmanned tanker at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, marking the first live mission for this aircraft and platform pairing.
2. MDCX Selection and Technical Role
Originally selected in 2020 as the ground control component for Boeing’s MQ-25A within the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS) MD-5 Ground Control Station, MDCX provides secure data links, mission planning and telemetry management for carrier-based UAVs.
3. Open-Architecture Framework
Built on an open-architecture design, MDCX enables interoperability with multiple uncrewed vehicles from a single carrier-based station, supporting extensible software updates and integration with future platforms to advance carrier wing capabilities.
4. Implications for Carrier-Based Operations
This milestone confirms MDCX as the foundational C2 infrastructure for the Navy’s vision of an Air Wing of the Future, potentially accelerating Lockheed Martin’s positioning for further unmanned aviation contracts and enhancing the Navy’s operational reach.