Northrop Grumman seals upgrade deal
Northrop Grumman has recently won a $12.9-million deal which will enable it to upgrade three of its MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
Northrop Grumman has recently won a $12.9-million deal which will enable it to upgrade three of its MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) from the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, US. Northrop Grumman's MQ-4C Triton UAS is equipped to provide real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) over the ocean and coastal regions. The system is also equipped with a robust mission sensor suite that provides 360-degree coverage on all sensors, ensuring unprecedented maritime domain awareness for the US Navy.
The three MQ-4C Triton aircraft will be upgraded from a baseline Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) 3 software configuration to a Multi-IFC 4 software configuration. The work is scheduled to be finished by October 2021 and will mainly be executed in Palmdale, California, US.
Triton is able to support a wide range of missions alongside ISR, thanks to its incorporation of a reinforced airframe for increased internal payload, and de-icing and lightning protection systems, which allows the aircraft to descend and ascend through harsh maritime weather environments to get a close view of ships and other targets at sea.