MQ-4C Triton UAS set for next phase of testing
The US Navy’s first MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland following an 11 hour flight from the Northrop Grumman facility in Palmdale, California. During the flight, the aircraft was controlled from a ‘forward operating base’ ground station in Palmdale, and a Navy System Integration Lab ‘main operating base’ at Patuxent River.
The aircraft will now enter its next phase of testing, moving the MQ-4C Trion programme closer to operational assessment.
Sensor suites, including the AN/ZPY-3 multifunction active sensor radar, will now be integrated into the MQ-4C ahead of a series of integration flight tests. The Northrop Grumman AN/ZPY-3 radar provides a 360° field of view, allowing the sensor suit to detect and identify ships from an altitude of higher than 10 miles during maritime missions of up to 24 hour duration.
James Hoke, Triton program manager, Naval Air Systems Command, said: ‘Now that the aircraft has arrived, we are ready to conduct the next phase of the test programme. Triton is one of the navy's most significant investments in UAS to date and we look forward to evaluating its capabilities.’
Mike Mackey, Triton UAS program director, Northrop Grumman, added: ‘Triton is the navy's largest, most advanced unmanned maritime surveillance system to cross such a distance. The successful flight was the result of a navy/Northrop Grumman team effort, from finishing a major software package to managing equipment inspections.’
Two other Triton aircraft, including one demonstration aircraft owned by Northrop Grumman, will also fly to Patuxent River in the coming weeks. Both will be used during system development and demonstration tests.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
