Australia buying Tritons

Australia will buy six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime unmanned aerial systems, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on Tuesday. The first RAAF Triton is scheduled to be delivered in mid-2023. Tuesday’s initial $1.4 billion program announcement covers the first of the six planned aircraft, which will be based at RAAF Base Edinburgh near Adelaide, and will include $364 million for the construction of new operational and support facilities at Edinburgh plus RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory, as well as an initial ground support equipment, training and spares package. Triton can fly at altitudes above 50,000 feet and has an endurance of more than 24 hours. (Source: Australian Aviation, 06/26/18) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman does fuselage work on Tritons, a variant of the Global Hawk, in Moss Point, Miss.