RAAF receives first Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton drone

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has welcomed its first Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton uncrewed aircraft during a ceremony at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory.

The MQ-4C Triton arrived on 16 June 2024, following a three-segment flight from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Northrop Grumman personnel collaborated closely with the RAAF to prepare for the aircraft’s arrival and support its basing activities.

Christine Zeitz, Chief Executive and General Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Northrop Grumman, stated: “As one of the most advanced intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting systems in the world, and a product of a cooperative development programme between Australia and the United States, Triton is a proven multi-mission, multi-domain national security asset vital to the Australian Defence Force during this critical time.”

Captain Josh Guerre, U.S. Navy Triton Program Manager, added: “The delivery of Australia’s first MQ-4C represents a significant step in a collaboration between the U.S. and Australia to drive the future of multi-domain intelligence collection. The U.S. Navy is thrilled to collaborate with Australia to deliver this game-changing intelligence capability into the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.”

Australia’s Triton programme remains on schedule, with three additional aircraft currently in production at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Palmdale, California. These aircraft are designed to perform a wide range of missions, including maritime patrol, signals intelligence, and search and rescue, providing persistent surveillance crucial for predicting adversary behaviour and enhancing joint military responses.

Key features of the MQ-4C Triton include its ability to operate at higher altitudes and with longer endurance than medium-altitude systems, an ultra-long operational range of 7,400 nautical miles, and the capacity for simultaneous multi-intelligence sensor operations, significantly increasing mission information.

Northrop Grumman successfully completed the first flight of Australia’s MQ-4C Triton in November 2023. Once fully deployed, the Triton will be operated by the Number 9 Squadron from two locations: RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia and RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory.

To support the progressive delivery of Triton systems into Australia, Northrop Grumman is establishing ground stations at RAAF Base Edinburgh and facilitating aircraft integration into RAAF Base Tindal. The company is also building a highly qualified Australian workforce across both locations, leveraging extensive experience gained from supporting U.S. Navy Triton operations.