Aussie Triton production stays on track, says Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman recently passed a new stage in its Triton HALE UAV production programme for the Royal Australian Air Force, by mounting the fuselage onto the one-piece wing of Australia’s first MQ-4C aircraft.
Hailing this ‘production milestone’ in a 16 December company statement, Rho Cauley-Bruner, Triton programme manager at Northrop Grumman, added: ‘We are on schedule to deliver Triton’s powerful capability in support of Australia’s national security.’
The first aircraft is expected to arrive in 2023 but the RAAF will not be ready to receive it at Base Edinburgh until 2024. Until then the MQ-4Cs for Australia will be based in Guam.
Northrop Grumman began the build process of Australia’s first Triton aircraft (a maritime version of the Global Hawk) in 2020, with two more MQ-4Cs ordered subsequently.
The programme successfully achieved its first flight in July 2021.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
US Navy foresees an uncrewed future for its surface and underwater fleet
The service has been conducting various procurement and development efforts to integrate unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its inventory.
-
Tekever unveils new swarm-controlling UAS
Tekever has manufactured the AR3, AR4 and AR5 UAS with all systems sharing common electronics and software architecture, which has enabled the reuse of ground segment elements within the new ARX UAS.
-
Ready for the race: Air separation drone swarms vs. air defence systems
As the dynamics of aerial combat rapidly evolve, Chinese scientists have engineered a sophisticated air separation drone model that can fragment into up to six drones, each capable of executing distinct battlefield roles and challenging the efficacy of current anti-drone defences such as the UK’s Dragonfire laser system.
-
Israel’s MALE UAVs ‘must adapt’ to Iranian-made air defences
Advancements in air defence technologies have begun to reshape aerial combat dynamics in the Middle East, as illustrated by recent events involving the Israeli Air Force and Hezbollah.
-
Hundreds more UAS sent to Ukraine forces with thousands more on the way
Both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war have been using UAS for effective low-cost attacks, as well as impactful web and social media footage. Thousands more have now been committed to Ukrainian forces.
-
AI and software companies selected for US Army Robotic Combat Vehicle subsystems
The US Army has intentions to develop light, medium and heavy variants of the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) as part of the branche’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle family.