Unmanned,
Thanks for coming back. Disagreements are excellent, as they promote discussion, and I do think that the MQ-25 team are nearly there. As a somewhat gnarly old engineer, I just know that the last 5% of any programme can be a real bear to close out. The DoD OT&E report will be the key document. Again, BZ to the MQ-25 team for what they've already achieved.
I would gently argue that the X-47B was pretty much a flying shape, and I'd expect that there has been very substantial redesign of the internal structure and systems to get to the MQ-25. But that doesn't diminish the value of an 'X' programme at all. In my experience, in the US 'X' means 'X'.
Nutloose raised a very good point about the sudden change in altitude as the air vehicle passes over the end of the ship. I'd suspect that the answer is that the landing guidance system (very probably JPALS) is using the flight deck at the point of engaging the wires as the reference 'zero altitude' for the approach, and not the sea. Anyone out there with better knowledge?
Best regards as ever to those clever Navair engineers at Pax River,
Engines