The US Navy finally has a carrier with a built-in center for drones and other unmanned aircraft

The US Navy has achieved a significant milestone by equipping the USS Theodore Roosevelt with a dedicated Unmanned Air Warfare Center, marking it as the first carrier capable of operating unmanned aircraft with fully operational infrastructure. The center, featuring systems such as the Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System and MD-5E Ground Control Station, provides essential command-and-control functions for managing Boeing’s MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial refueling aircraft.

This development comes as another carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, is expected to follow suit by having its own MQ-25 capable center ready for deployment by August 2026. The USS George H.W. Bush had previously tested the center during August 2024, but the Theodore Roosevelt is now the first carrier where the capability has reached full operational status.

The Navy's investment in this specialized infrastructure demonstrates a shift from treating drones as temporary additions to integrating unmanned aviation as a permanent and essential component of carrier operations. As the MQ-25 program advances, with milestone C reached in May 2026 allowing the transition from development to production and deployment, the Navy is now moving toward a broader carrier-based unmanned aviation capability, enhancing the fleet's operational capabilities and reducing the burden on traditional carrier aviation assets.