Inside Boeing’s new Illinois plant making pilotless jets

MASCOUTAH, Ill. — It’s a major new development for the U.S. military and it’s being produced right here in the bi-state. The first autonomous jet, the Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray, is sending missions farther, faster without putting sailors’ lives at risk. It is being made at the new Boeing production facility in Mascoutah, Illinois.

“This is the first fully autonomous aircraft going to the United States Navy and going operational in the fleet,” said Troy Rutherford, VP MQ-25 Program.

It is used to refuel fighter jets and can help them travel 500 nautical miles farther.

Darren James, Director at MidAmerica St Louis Airport said, “It’s a fantastic capability, it’s something that we don’t have in the department of defense right now.”

“When we look at the range of the Pacific Ocean and the ranges the United States Navy has to operate, this mission, this airplane was designed specifically for that,” said Rutherford.

If the jet meets FAA certification, the Navy hopes to procure 76 pilotless Stingrays. The pilots, who will operate these Stingrays, can do so remotely from anywhere in the world.

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