MDCX™ Innovations Take Flight: Skunk Works® Powers the Boeing MQ-25A™’s Maiden Journey
The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® MDCX™ command and control (C2) platform successfully guided the inaugural flight of the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25A StingrayTM.
Significance of the Historic Flight
This groundbreaking flight took place at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, showcasing the MDCX software platform as the cornerstone of the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System (UMCS) MD-5 Ground Control Station (GCS). In 2020, MDCX was selected to serve as the essential ground control technology for Boeing’s MQ-25A.
Key Highlights
- The successful first flight highlights UMCS’s capability to effectively command and control the MQ-25A for the U.S. Navy, establishing MDCX as the primary C2 platform for the Navy’s future Air Wing initiatives.
Insights from Our Partners
- “The successful first flight today was made possible by the flawless integration between the MQ-25 aircraft and Lockheed Martin’s ground control systems,” stated Rear Adm. Tony Rossi, overseeing the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. “This milestone showcases our collaborative strength in developing the necessary command-and-control infrastructure for the safe and effective operation of unmanned platforms from our aircraft carriers.”
A State-of-the-Art Capability
- “Our MDCX open architecture C2 solution was seamlessly integrated with the Boeing MQ-25A, providing secure UAV control during its first flight,” explained OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Skunk Works. “This achievement reflects our ongoing partnership with the U.S. Navy to enhance its capabilities and interoperability, facilitating a unified carrier-based command station that controls multiple uncrewed vehicles to support its Air Wing of the Future vision.”
This milestone represents a definitive step forward for MDCX, reinforcing its commitment to delivering current, open-architecture, and secure command and control solutions alongside autonomous capabilities.
