Navy Completes First Successful Flight Test for UAS 

Photo courtesy Navair News

By Priya Potapragada



The U.S. Navy’s unmanned air system, MQ-4C Triton, completed its initial flight test phase at the Northrop Grumman facility in Palmdale, Calif., 13 March as part of the process to introduce it to the fleet in 2017.



Triton’s flight testing, called initial envelope expansion, is meant to measure the vehicle’s performance under different speeds and altitudes. The Navy and Northrop Grumman team completed the testing phase in 13 of the 14 scheduled flights for the test.  The system flew a total of 81 hours, reached an altitude of 59,950 feet and gathered 568 data points. Triton also includes a multi-function array sensor that can be used in a maritime environment. 



“The system performed exceptionally well during flight test, which is a reflection of years of hard work and dedication by our team,” said Capt. Jim Hoke, Triton UAS program manager. “Our job is far from over with fleet delivery still a few years away, but each of our team members should reflect on how far we have come and be proud of this accomplishment.”



As an addition to the manned P-8A aircraft, the Triton will cover more than 2.7 million square miles in one mission and is capable of 24/7 intelligence and surveillance with a range of 2,000 nautical miles. This will allow the manned aircraft to focus on their core missions, adding to the ability of the Navy’s maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force. 



The team has a planned maintenance period after the testing phase to prepare for the system's transition to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The MQ-4C will take its first cross-country flight in June or July, followed by the second test aircraft shortly after.