Photo By Lt.j.g. Drew Verbis | POINT MUGU, Calif. (July 29, 2025) Members of Jacobs engineering and technical support...... read more read more
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POINT MUGU, Calif. (July 29, 2025) - Leaders from Airborne Command & Control and Logistics Wing (ACCLOGWING), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) and civilian partners, break ground on the MQ-25 Stingray hangar onboard Point Mugu, July 29, 2025.
The MQ-25 Stingray will be the world’s first operational, carrier-based unmanned aircraft and provide aerial refueling for the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) and Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
“We’re not simply constructing a building, we are building the future of Naval Aviation,” said Capt. Daniel “DB” Brown, commanding officer, NBVC. “NBVC is proud to be selected to host this platform that is leading the way in the transition from manned to unmanned carrier-based aviation.”
Brown said the MQ-25 Stingray will be a source of growth and prosperity for this area, boosting opportunities and economic development.
“NBVC is the largest employer in Ventura County,” Brown stated. “We expect this platform to add civilian and military jobs to the base, to include approximately 650 uniformed service members.”
Designed to operate from aircraft carriers, the Stingray's primary mission is to extend the range of the carrier air wing by providing unmanned aerial refueling capabilities, with a secondary mission of gathering intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
“There were seminal moments in our history where we shifted tremendously from the way things were done to the way we will do the future,” said Capt. Daniel Fucito, program director, Unmanned Carrier Aviation Program Manager (PMA-268). “In the 1800s, we shifted from wooden ships to ironclads. In the 1900s, we shifted from battleships to aircraft carriers. Today we are at the dawn of a new golden age of naval aviation shifting from manned to unmanned.”
The Stingray unmanned aircraft system will provide the needed robust refueling capability to extend the combat range of deployed E-2D Hawkeye, F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35C fighters.
“This is the future of Naval aviation, this is a big deal, not just for Point Mugu, but for the Navy,” said Capt. Daniel S. Bense, commodore, ACCLOGWING. “It represents a transformational era in our history, providing capability that is meant to upset the Great Power Competition; putting the United States of America one step ahead.”
The $149M Department of Defense military construction project, includes a hangar facility, maintenance shops, administration support spaces, aircraft parking apron, training areas, and communications shelter. The project is estimated to be completed in the Fall of 2027.
NBVC is major shore warfighting platform; providing sustained ready forces to deploy, fight, and win. Composed of three operating facilities: Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island and home of the Pacific Seabees, West Coast E-2D Hawkeyes, 3 warfare centers and 110 tenant commands.
| Date Taken: | 07.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2025 14:04 |
| Story ID: | 544403 |
| Location: | POINT MUGU, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 390 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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