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Naval Aviation News - USA
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Northrop Grumman Delivers First Operational MQ-4C Triton UAS to US Navy
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| Northrop Grumman Corp. delivered the first operational MQ-4C Triton unmanned air systems (UAS) to the U.S. Navy facility at Point Mugu, providing the service with unparalleled endurance and 360 degree coverage that allows for a vastly expanded maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission. | |||
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 The first operational MQ-4C Triton comes in for a landing at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, on November 9. (Photo credit: U.S. Navy) |
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| “This aircraft represents the beginning of a new era for Naval aviation,” said Doug Shaffer, vice president, Triton programs, Northrop Grumman. “Triton is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned system that delivers a critical autonomous capability to the Navy, expanding the service’s maritime patrol mission. We are proud to be a part of this historic program.” Northrop Grumman is expected to deliver the second operational Triton aircraft later this year. Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu is home to the maintenance detachment of Unmanned Patrol Squadron (VUP)19. Maintainers will prepare the first two operational Triton aircraft for its employment to Guam, scheduled next year. VUP-19, the Navy’s first unmanned patrol squadron, is based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. Pilots and operators will fly the unmanned Triton aircraft from NAS Jacksonville. |
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 The U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (U.S. Navy photo) |
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| The U.S. Navy has announced plans to deploy Triton to NAS Mayport, Florida, NAS Sigonella, Italy and the Middle East in the future. Flying upwards of 55,000 feet for up to 24 hours at a time, 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 |
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