The first Australian Northrop Grumman [NOC] MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft completed its first flight on Nov. 9 at a company facility.
The MQ-4C flew out of Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center, Calif., with a flight time of over six hours. During the flight the company conducted airworthiness evaluations like engine, flight control and fuel system checks, and basic aircraft handling tests.
The MQ-4C is designed for high-altitude long-endurance maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting missions.
The company is planning to deliver the first Triton to Australia next year.
In September, Australia’s government announced it plans to spend another $975 million to acquire a fourth MQ-4C as well as upgrade its fleet of crewed P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (Defense Daily, Sept. 20).
Also, in September, the U.S. Navy declared its MQ-4Cs reached initial operating capability in August with aircraft based in Guam (Defense Daily, Sept. 18).
Production on the first Australian Triton started in 2020 and last year Northrop Grumman unveiled the first Australian MQ-4C (Defense Daily, Sept. 16, 2022).