The U.S. Air Force is exploring the possibility of using unmanned, crewless aircraft for aerial refueling, which could eventually replace its current fleet of KC-135 and KC-46 tankers. This idea has gained attention after the U.S. Navy successfully tested the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray, an autonomous refueling drone, which completed its first flight in 2026. The Navy recently approved limited production of the MQ-25 and increased its order to 14 units, signaling confidence in the technology. At the Air, Space & Cyber 2026 conference in Maryland, Air Force officials suggested that future refueling aircraft might not need human crews. Lt. Gen. Daniel Tulley, who leads the Air Mobility Command, acknowledged that while crewless options are feasible, there are still challenges in scaling and deploying such systems effectively. The Air Force is currently purchasing Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tankers and spent $12 million this year studying a new design. However, its 2027 budget removes funding for that project and instead allocates $13 million toward developing advanced refueling systems. The current KC-46 has a range of about 7,400 miles and can carry over 100 tons of fuel, making it well-suited for long-range missions. In comparison, the MQ-25, which is smaller and designed for the Navy, has a range of around 500 miles and can carry only 7.5 tons of fuel. While Boeing’s tankers can operate on autopilot for takeoff, navigation, and landing, the Air Force does not currently use them without human oversight. The goal is to build on this partial automation to eventually achieve full autonomy. Merlin Labs, a company developing autonomous flight systems, is working on adapting its technology for the C-130J, an aircraft similar in size to the KC-135. This approach allows the company to gradually introduce autonomous features while still keeping a human crew on board, rather than jumping directly to a fully unmanned tanker. Matthew George, CEO of Merlin Labs, said the company aims to have both the unmanned tanker and the necessary technology ready at the same time. However, Merlin must first obtain certification for its system and is currently working with the Air Force to secure approval. Although the company has completed a critical design review, it has not yet announced a flight date for the C-130J with its autonomous pilot system. As a result, the Air Force’s vision of a fully autonomous tanker the size of the KC-46 remains far from reality.