Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

DSEI Japan 2023
  • News
  • Event News
    • SNA 2023
    • Euronaval 2022
    • Indo Pacific 2022
    • Sea Air Space 2022
    • DIMDEX 2022
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»Northrop Grumman Unveils First Australian MQ-4C Triton
Northrop Grumman Unveils First Australian MQ-4C Triton
Australia’s first MQ-4C Triton on the runway in Palmdale, California. Credit: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Unveils First Australian MQ-4C Triton

Northrop Grumman Corporation unveiled Australia’s first MQ-4C Triton autonomous aircraft during a ceremony at its high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) aircraft production site in California.

Naval News Staff 15 Sep 2022

Northrop Grumman press release

The event, attended by Australian, U.S. government, and defense officials, highlights the continued progress of the MQ-4C Triton program for both the Royal Australian Air Force and the U.S. Navy.

“Today marks a significant milestone for Australia and the MQ-4C Triton program. As we get ready for final system integration and flight test, we are one step closer to delivering this extraordinary maritime awareness capability to Australia.”


Tom Jones, Corporate VP and President of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems

Australia is a cooperative program partner in the Triton program and was critical in helping shape the requirements for the system. As partners, U.S. and Australian defense forces will be able to share data collected by their respective Tritons, a critical ability in one of the world’s most strategically important regions. 

“Triton will provide the Royal Australian Air Force with an unprecedented capability to monitor and protect our maritime approaches. Triton will work alongside the P-8A Poseidon and this unmanned aircraft system will allow us to cover significant areas, at longer ranges and has the ability to stay airborne longer than a traditional aircraft.”


Air Marshal Robert Chipman, Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force

Northrop Grumman initiated the build of the first Australian Triton in October 2020 at its production facility in Moss Point, Miss., and met another major production milestone in December 2021 when the fuselage and one-piece wing were mated in Palmdale, Calif. The aircraft is scheduled for production completion in 2023 and delivery to Australia in 2024.

Northrop Grumman’s family of autonomous HALE systems perform critical wide-area intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting (ISR&T) missions. Today, autonomous HALE systems operate across the globe, with greater than 24-hour endurance, collecting essential ISR&T data over land and sea to enable rapid, informed decision-making. In the future, these systems will connect the joint force, implementing advanced autonomy and artificial intelligence and machine learning while delivering indispensable capabilities with fewer people to provide information at the speed of relevance. 

– End –

About MQ-4C Triton Maritime Surveillance HALE UAV

Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $65 million advance acquisition contract for long-lead components for the manufacture and delivery of three LRIP Lot 5 MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft for the US Navy and the Australian Defense Force (ADF).
File photos of MQ-4C Triton. (Credit: Courtesy of Northrop Grumman)

According to its launch customer, the US Navy, the MQ-4C Triton is an autonomously operated system that provides a persistent maritime ISR capability using multiple maritime sensors.

The MQ-4C Triton air vehicle is based upon the United States Air Force (USAF) RQ-4B Global Hawk, while its sensors are based upon components of (or entire systems) already fielded in the DoD inventory.

Along with the P-8A manned aircraft, the MQ-4C Triton is integral to the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force (MPRF) Family of Systems. The MPRF is the operational agent for the MQ-4C Triton and Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group (CPRG) is the fleet sponsor for the manned/unmanned integration concept.

Australia’s 2016 Defence White Paper identified the requirement for seven high altitude, long endurance Triton unmanned aircraft. Northrop Grumman will deliver the Triton through a cooperative program with the United States Navy who has itself expressed a need for 70 aircraft. The German Defence Ministry confirmed in March 2017 that it had decided to buy the MQ-4C to replace the EuroHawk program, with deliveries occurring after 2025. The plan has now been canceled.

MQ-4C Triton specifications:

  • Length: 47 ft 7 in (14.5 m)
  • Wingspan: 130 ft 11 in (39.9 m)
  • Height: 15 ft 5 in (4.6 m)
  • Empty weight: 14,945 lb (6,781 kg)
  • Gross weight: 32,250 lb (14,630 kg)
  • Maximum speed: 357 mph (575 km/h, 320 kn)
  • Range: 9,400 mi (15,200 km, 8,200 nmi)
  • Endurance: 30 hours
  • Service ceiling: 56,000 ft (17,000 m)
MQ-4C 2022-09-15
Tags MQ-4C
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Related Articles

Northrop Grumman Delivers First Production IFC-4 Triton to US Navy

Northrop Grumman Delivers First Production IFC-4 Triton to US Navy

Xavier Vavasseur 02 Feb 2022
Northrop Grumman delivered the first MQ-4C with the Integrated Functional Capability (IFC)-4 to the US Navy on Feb 1st.
U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton UAS arrives in Jacksonville, Florida

U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton UAS arrives in Jacksonville, Florida

Naval News Staff 28 Dec 2021
The U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) arrived in Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, following its initial deployment in the Pacific theater.
U.S. Navy Upgraded MQ-4C Triton Made First Test Flight

U.S. Navy Upgraded MQ-4C Triton Made First Test Flight

Martin Manaranche 30 Jul 2021
The U.S. Navy conducted its first test flight of the MQ-4C Triton in its upgraded hardware and software configuration July 29 at NAS Patuxent River, beginning the next phase of the unmanned aircraft’s development.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 Naval News
All Rights Reserved