Navy looks to Northrop Grumman for two MQ-4C Triton unmanned long-range surveillance aircraft and sensors
PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. – Maritime patrol experts at Northrop Grumman Corp. will build two more MQ-4C Triton long-range surveillance uncrewed aircraft under terms of a $267.2 million order announced earlier this month.
Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., asked the Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems segment in San Diego on 13 March 2025 for two Navy MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), one Navy main operating base, and data for Triton low-rate initial production lot 7.
SIGINT aircraft
These two long-range, high-altitude uncrewed SIGINT aircraft are maritime patrol versions of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk long-range reconnaissance UAV. The Triton provides real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions. The order includes spare parts for Australian Triton UAVs.
Northrop Grumman is building the MQ-4C Triton, also called the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) UAV, to fly maritime surveillance missions as long as 24 hours at altitudes of more than 10 miles to enable coverage out to 2,000 nautical miles. The UAV's suite of sensors can detect and classify different types of ships automatically.
Related: Making sense out of chaotic skies
The Triton conducts surveillance of surface ship and submarine traffic in the vast Pacific and other oceans. The Triton UAV also works together with the Navy's P-8A Poseidon manned maritime patrol aircraft.
The Triton's maritime search radar is called the Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS), and will provide the UAV and its operators with a 360-degree view of a large geographic area while providing all-weather coverage for detecting, classifying, tracking, and identifying points of interest. MFAS is separate from the Triton's air-to-air radar. The MFAS radar first flew on the Triton during testing in April 2015.
Electro-optical sensors
Along with the air-to-air and MFAS radar systems, the MQ-4C carries an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor for still imagery and full-motion video of potential threats; an electronic support measures package to identify and geolocate radar threat signals; and an automatic identification system (AIS) that will detect and track vessels equipped with AIS responders.
The MQ-4C Triton is designed to provide combat information to military authorities like the expeditionary strike group, carrier strike group, and the joint forces maritime component commander. The Triton air vehicle is based on the U.S. Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk, while its sensors are based on components and systems already fielded in the U.S. military.
The Triton feeds intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data to the Global Information Grid (GIG), and can work alone or together with other aircraft and surface ships.
The MQ-4C Triton's ability to perform persistent ISR within a practical range of 2,000 nautical miles enables the P-8A aircraft to focus on anti-surface ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and multi-intelligence. The Triton can fly as far as 8,200 nautical miles without refueling.
Triton bases
Triton aircraft and support facilities are based domestically at Point Mugu Naval Air Station near Ventura, Calif., and at Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Fla. Triton UAVs also will be forward-deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan; Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; Sigonella Naval Air Station, Italy; as well as at installations on the islands of Hawaii and Diego Garcia.
The Triton UAV has a Rolls-Royce AE3007H jet engine, can remain aloft for as long as 24 hours, can fly as fast as 320 knots, and fly as high as 60,000 feet. The uncrewed aircraft is 47.6 feet long, 15.4 feet high, has a wingspan of 130.9 feet, and has a maximum takeoff weight of 32,250 pounds. It can carry as much as 17,300 pounds of fuel, sensors, and other payloads.
The Triton has a ground crew of four -- an air vehicle operator, tactical coordinator, and two mission payload operators. Triton development began in early 2008 with a $1.2 billion contract to Northrop Grumman to design and build two Triton UAVs with mission payloads and communications suites; one forward operating base mission control system; one systems integration laboratory; and one main operating base mission control system.
On this order Northrop Grumman will do the work in Rancho Bernardo, Palmdale, San Diego, Calif; Red Oak and Waco, Texas; Salt Lake City; Bridgeport, W.Va.; Indianapolis; Moss Point, Miss.; Rolling Meadows, Ill.; Whippany, N.J.; Baltimore; and at other locations, and should be finished by October 2028.
For more information contact Northrop Grumman Aeronautics online at https://www.northropgrumman.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
