NAVAIR orders Triton production support
An MQ-4C Triton taxis at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. (Photo: USAF/Senior Airman Michael Murphy)
Northrop Grumman will provide test, inspection and engineering support for MQ-4Cs in production for the US and Australia.
Northrop Grumman is providing non-destructive test and inspection support equipment — and ‘associated non-recurring engineering’ — for production of MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs for the USN and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the DoD announced on 22 September.
Work on the $15.83 million order from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is due for completion in September 2024.
The US has ordered 65 Tritons while Australia has ordered three, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
FY2022 budget documents show that the US DoD has requested a one-year production gap for Triton in FY2022 to support development of the Multi-INT configuration, with recommencement in FY2023.
The first aircraft for the RAAF is expected to arrive in 2023, however, the service will not be ready to receive it in Australia until 2024.
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