Triton Sensor Undergoes Testing

Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman.

By Danielle Lucey



Northrop Grumman announced today that it has completed more than 25 flight tests of the primary maritime surveillance sensor that will be installed on the U.S. Navy’s Triton unmanned aircraft. 



The Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) flew on a surrogate aircraft, a Gulfstream II, off the coast of California in place of the marinized version of Global Hawk. The radar gives a 360-degree view of its environment. 



“Surrogate flights have allowed us to mature the MFAS radar's capabilities and merge the data with information received from other sensors and equipment that will also be used on Triton,” Mike Mackey, Triton UAS program director with Northrop Grumman, said in a company press release. "By gathering this information in real and simulated environments, we can refine how an operator sees data while tasking the system in flight."’



The radar uses electronic scanning and mechanical rotation to get a longer monitoring endurance. Once on board, Triton’s sensors will allow up to 2,000 nautical miles to be viewed simultaneously. The radar also spots and classifies objects like ships that it sees and then provides that information to the mission operators on the ground. 



"These development tests will demonstrate the range, resolution and speed at which MFAS can detect different targets. We will be well prepared to install MFAS on Triton once surrogate flight tests conclude," Mackey said.



Northrop Grumman is contracted through 2016 to work on Triton’s system capabilities.