Lack of infrastructure delays Australian Triton arrival
The RAAF will have to wait another year to receive at home its first MQ-4C Triton. (RAAF)
Australia will have to figure out what to do with its first Triton for a year before base facilities in-country are ready for it.
The arrival of Australia’s first MQ-4C Triton will be delayed by a year till 2024 because the requisite air base infrastructure for the large UAV with a Boeing 737 wingspan is behind schedule.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has three Tritons on contract out of six required under Project Air 7000 Phase 1B. Northrop Grumman confirmed that the first will still be ready for handover in 2023.
According to the Department of Defence, the reason for delays in starting infrastructure work in Australia is the USN’s production pause in its Triton programme in early 2020.
Consequently, Australia had delayed
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