The first-ever launch of an unmanned aircraft from a modern aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, was described by Rear Adm. Mat Winter
Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, as – "An inflection point in history". "These are exciting times for the Navy as we are truly doing something that has never been done before – something I never imagined could be done during my 29-year naval career. This historic event challenges the paradigm of manned carrier landings that were first conducted more than 90 years ago.