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TechRadar · September 26, 2026 · On the brief until October 10, 2026

USAF considering 'very large' autonomous airborne tankers to replace KC-135, KC-46 — and Boeing's MQ-25 Stingray UAV is only the beginning

Aerospace EngineeringDefense StudiesMechanical Engineering
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Automating flight controls on large transport aircraft

The US Air Force is exploring crewless aircraft to replace its KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling tankers. Engineers face the problem of scaling autonomous flight to aircraft that carry one hundred tons of fuel over thousands of miles. This pushes technical development toward testing autonomous software inside crewed planes to secure safety certifications.

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Students can debate whether to test autonomous flight software inside crewed planes first or build dedicated unmanned airframes from scratch.

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