Triton UAS starts testing
The MQ-4C Triton UAS has entered operational assessment (OA) with the US Navy as it moves toward its Milestone C review and entry into low-rate initial production, the US Naval Air Systems Command announced on 18 November.
OA will continue for two months at NAS Patuxent River. The MQ-4C will be put through its paces, conducting six flights and executing various operational test scenarios to assess the system’s operational performance at this point in the programme.
Each scenario will demonstrate Triton’s collection of data while exercising each of the system’s mission areas − intelligence, surface warfare, amphibious warfare and missions of state.
This phase will also identify risk areas for the follow-on Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) phase, and gives the navy a chance to better understand the challenges that fleet personnel might encounter when they operate and maintain the Triton system.
The navy expects to achieve a Milestone C decision early in 2016 followed by entry into low-rate initial production. Three production aircraft are expected to be ordered in 2016, with the goal of having the first aircraft operational by 2017.
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