USAF considering 'very large' autonomous airborne tankers to replace KC-135, KC-46 — and Boeing's MQ-25 Stingray UAV is only the beginning
THE SO WHAT
Autonomous refueling tankers would push UAVs from niche to backbone infrastructure in military logistics. For defense and aerospace suppliers, the center of gravity is shifting toward autonomy stacks, certification, and human–machine teaming, not just airframes.
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