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Germany to Procure Northrop Grumman's MQ-4C Triton UAS to Replace Cancelled Euro Hawk

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Naval Aviation News - USA, Germany
 
 
 
Germany to Procure Northrop Grumman's MQ-4C Triton UAS to Replace Cancelled Euro Hawk
 
According to Reuters citing ministry sources, Germany's defence ministry has decided to buy Northrop Grumman-built MQ-4C Triton unmanned air systems (UAS) to replace the RQ-4A-based Euro Hawk, which Berlin cancelled in May 2013. Sensors for the new aircraft are to be built by Airbus, as planned under the previous programme, the sources said. The number of planes to be procured has not been disclosed yet but Germany had planned to buy five Euro Hawk aircraft.
     
MQ 4C Triton UAS US NavyThe U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (U.S. Navy photo)
     
The MQ-4C Triton provides persistent ISR within a range of 2,000 nautical miles using a multi-sensor mission payload including maritime radar, Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Automatic Identification System (AIS) and basic communications relay.

The U.S. Navy plans to order a total of 68 aircraft from Northrop Grumman, with the goal of having the first aircraft operational by 2017. The MQ-4C Triton will be a forward deployed, land-based, autonomously operated system that provides a persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability using a multi-sensor mission payload.

Link to MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system technical datasheet