Northrop Grumman has announced that MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drones delivered to the US Navy have achieved initial operational capability for the

The MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles in service with the US Navy have reached initial combat readiness. This was announced by the company Northrop Grumman.

Here's What We Know

The MQ-4C is a reconnaissance drone with a long range and flight altitude. It was developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme to meet the demand for real-time intelligence gathering. The base model is the RQ-4 Global Hawk strategic UAV.

The Triton has several differences compared to the Global Hawk. In particular, the newer version of the drone has a reinforced airframe design, protection against lightning strikes and has received a de-icing system.

Northrop Grumman has delivered five MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drones to the US Navy. The last drone was delivered in June this year. Early operational readiness was achieved in 2020. Since then, the US Navy's Pacific Fleet has used the UAVs in the US Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility.

The MQ-4C Triton performs a wide range of missions, including maritime patrol, radio reconnaissance, search and rescue and communications relay. The drone can climb to altitudes of more than 15,000 metres and fly for 24 hours. According to the manufacturer, the UAV is capable of surveying 4 million nautical miles (more than 7 million kilometres) during a single 24-hour mission.

Source: Northrop Grumman