US Navy plays down Stingray's stealth

摘要

Stealth and a tanking mission will not go hand in hand for the US Navy's unmanned MQ-25 Stingray, according to its commander of Naval Air Forces, Vice Adm Mike Shoemaker. Last year, a strategic portfolio review by the Pentagon emphasised the Stingray's tanking role over performing stealthy intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, and a latest round of discussions with defence secretary Ashton Carter did not stress the unmanned air vehicle's survivability aspect, Shoemaker says.