Northrop builds UAV for Navy Triton program
- By Defense Systems Staff
- Jan 09, 2013
Northrop Grumman is assembling with its own resources an unmanned aerial vehicle for use as a development and demonstration platform for at-sea surveillance under the Navy's MQ-4C Triton program, the company said Jan. 8.
The Triton program gives Navy personnel a detailed picture of surface vessels to help them identify threats across vast areas of ocean and littoral areas. The UAV is being designed to stay aloft for 24 hours at a time.
The aircraft will be outfitted with the same intelligence-gathering sensors and communications suite as outlined in the service's Triton program. Northrop Grumman is assembling the company-owned UAV at its production facility in Palmdale, Calif.
The Navy plans to have Triton unmanned aircraft operational by late 2015.