The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has taken delivery of its first Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned air vehicle during a ceremony at RAAF Tindal, Northern Territory, where the long-range surveillance asset will be based.
The aircraft, AUS 1, has been in Australia since June following a three-segment transit from Maryland’s Naval Air Station Patuxent River, according to Northrop.
“The Triton has been delivered following an incredible amount of work from both those in defence, but also through our friends in the United States Navy, Department of Defense and our industry partners,” says RAAF chief Air Marshal Stephen Chappell.
“Under the newly reformed No.9 Squadron, the MQ-4C Triton will play a pivotal role in securing Australia’s strategic areas of interest, including our maritime approaches.”
Three additional aircraft are currently in production at Northrop’s Palmdale, California facility.
Australia has committed to four Tritons, but previous assessments and Australia’s 2016 defence white paper have indicated that it is likely to obtain a total of six or seven.
A large mobile trailer that will serve as the aircraft’s operating base was delivered to RAAF Tindal earlier this year. RAAF crews have also trained with the US Navy (USN) in Jacksonville, Florida.
In Jacksonville they receive the same training as USN counterparts – the USN also operates Tritons.
“The delivery of Australia’s first MQ-4C represents a significant step in a collaboration between the US and Australia to drive the future of multi-domain intelligence collection,” says USN Captain Josh Guerre, programme manager for the Triton.
“The US Navy is thrilled to collaborate with Australia to deliver this game changing intelligence capability into the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.”
MQ-28A COULD STILL CARRY WEAPONS
In a 24 July television interview, Australia’s assistant minister for defence Matt Thistlewaite said that the developmental Boeing MQ-28A Ghost Bat unmanned air vehicle may still carry weapons one day.
“There’s still the option to arm it as far as I’m aware,” said Thistlewaite in response to a question in an interview with Sky News.
“When I was at the facility in Melbourne, the people that were working on the programme from Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] did indicate that the programme has the capability in the future to be armed and a combat drone, if you like, and those decisions will be made in the future.”
Boeing and the RAAF have both invested in the programme, the first aircraft developed in Australia since the Second World War.
Doubts about the MQ-28A’s prospects emerged earlier this year, when Boeing was not selected as one of the companies to develop autonomous fighter aircraft for the US Air Force.
This led to media reports in Australia that the MQ-28A would be restricted to the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission.
