Lockheed Martin moving from flying wing towards wing-body-tail design for Stingray

Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Work has determined that a flying wing design is not the best aerodynamic shape for the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial tanker.

Rob Weiss added that the current requirements published by the sailing branch suggest a strong emphasis on tanking role and less on surveillance.

“From our viewpoint, the requirements, as they are currently unfolding, are going to require a new design from all of the competitors. It’s now very tanker-focused. We’re looking at what those requirements are, there will probably be a follow-up capability – some ISR it could do and potentially some strike – but it’s very much focused on tanking.”