Northrop Grumman details Triton radar development progress
Northrop Grumman is in the midst of risk-reduction tests of the Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) to be installed on the US Navy’s Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS). So far more than 25 flights have been conducted on the sensor using a Gulfstream II surrogate aircraft off the California coast.
The MFAS is to be the primary maritime surveillance sensor on Triton, and will provide a 360-degree view of ocean and coastal regions. The active, electronically and mechanically scanned array radar uses a combination of electronic scanning with a mechanical rotation, allowing the radar to spotlight a geographic area of interest for longer periods. This method increases detection capabilities for smaller targets, particularly in sea clutter.
Triton's full sensor suite will allow areas up to 2,000 nautical miles to be monitored at a time. The MFAS radar data along with other onboard information will be provided to mission operators on the ground and directly to maritime forces.
Mike Mackey, Triton UAS program director, Northrop Grumman, said: ‘Surrogate flights have allowed us to mature the MFAS radar's capabilities and merge the data with information received from other sensors and equipment that will also be used on Triton. By gathering this information in real and simulated environments, we can refine how an operator sees data while tasking the system in flight.
‘These development tests will demonstrate the range, resolution and speed at which MFAS can detect different targets. We will be well prepared to install MFAS on Triton once surrogate flight tests conclude.’
Northrop Grumman is prime contractor for the US Navy on the Triton UAS programme, and will develop the system's capabilities through 2016. The aircraft completed its first flight in May.
Sixty-eight Triton UAS will be built under the current programme to replace the navy's aging patrol aircraft and work alongside the new P-8 Poseidon manned surveillance aircraft.
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 has revealed 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.
