Northrop Grumman Build New UAS as Triton Testing and Demonstration Platform

By Caroline Rees / 09 Jan 2013

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

Northrop Grumman building UAS for Triton testing

Northrop Grumman Corporation is building a company-owned unmanned aircraft for use as a development and demonstration platform for at-sea surveillance under the U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton program.

Triton provides a detailed picture of surface vessels to identify threats across vast areas of ocean and littoral areas. With its ability to fly missions up to 24 hours, Triton complements many manned surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.

Wing sections were joined to the aircraft’s fuselage at the company’s production facility in Palmdale, Calif. The aircraft will be outfitted with the same intelligence-gathering sensors and communications suite as the Navy’s Triton program.

“The aircraft will initially be used to further testing efforts for the Navy as we prepare Triton to be operational in late 2015,” said Steve Enewold, Northrop Grumman’s vice president and program manager for Triton. “Eventually, we will use the aircraft as a test bed to improve system performance, incorporate new intelligence-gathering capabilities and conduct demonstrations.”

All production efforts related to this system were funded internally by the company. Northrop Grumman has also built other company-owned unmanned systems such as Fire Scout, using them to demonstrate new control software and sensor payloads.

“We’ve proven that company-owned systems allow us to reduce risk in testing efforts and deliver capabilities faster to our customers,” said Enewold.

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

Most Read Articles on UST This Week

Here’s our round-up of the five most read articles on UnmannedSystemsTechnology.com this week

Jun 13, 2025
Advanced Navigation’s Micro AUV Reveals Coral Bleaching at Remote Southern Reef

Using autonomous underwater technology, Advanced Navigation and O2 Marine have documented severe coral bleaching at Hall Bank, revealing climate impacts on one of Earth’s southernmost reefs

Jun 13, 2025
D-2 CTD Sensors Displayed at Combined Naval Event 2025

D-2 Inc. highlighted its latest underwater sensor technologies and mobile fuel testing system during Combined Naval Event 2025, held May 20–22 in Farnborough, UK

Jun 13, 2025
Deep Trekker ROVs Support Inland Demining Efforts

Deep Trekker has delivered sixteen REVOLUTION ROVs to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, supporting underwater EOD missions through a UNDP initiative

Jun 13, 2025
Systork Launches Upgraded Linnet Mosaic-X5 GNSS Module

Systork introduces the Linnet Mosaic-X5, featuring enhanced thermal performance, microSD logging, and full GNSS support for drones and robotics in challenging environments

Jun 13, 2025
Wave Relay Devices Receive NSA Approval for Classified Communications

Persistent Systems’ Wave Relay® devices have received NSA approval for CSfC use, offering secure, commercial alternatives to legacy classified communication solutions

Jun 13, 2025

Featured Content

MEMS DC Accelerometers from SDI Deliver Superior Performance for Unmanned Systems

SDI's MEMS DC accelerometers offer a robust solution for unmanned aerial, ground, and underwater vehicles, providing precise static and dynamic motion sensing, crucial for autonomous navigation, attitude feedback, and structural monitoring

Jun 12, 2025
Calian GNSS Unveils New Anti-Jamming CRPA with XF+ Filtering

Calian GNSS has introduced the CR8894SXF+, a compact CRPA antenna with in-band null forming and XF+ filtering for resilient GNSS performance in interference-prone environments

Jun 06, 2025
Honeywell Introduces HG3900 Tactical-Grade IMU with Enhanced Sensor Accuracy

Honeywell has introduced the HG3900 IMU, a MEMS-based device with tactical-grade accuracy, offering significant SWaP advantages for precision navigation systems

Jun 05, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.