Northrop Grumman gleans MQ-4C lessons learned in Arctic

A rendering of an MQ-4C Triton UAS demonstrating persistent targeting for long-range fires during ‘Northern Edge 2023′. (Northrop Grumman)

Northrop Grumman is gleaning lessons learned from the MQ-4C Triton’s recent participation in the US Navy (USN)-led Arctic military exercise ‘Northern Edge 2023′, as programme officials are preparing for the unmanned aerial system (UAS) to reach initial operating capability (IOC).

Achieving IOC for the Triton Integrated Functional Capability (IFC)-4 variant remains “a critical step as the [USN] achieves its naval operational architecture to enable distributed maritime operations,” Rho Cauley-Bruner, Triton programme director at Northrop Grumman, told Janes.

Programme officials at the company continue “leveraging our Triton Flying Test Bed (FTB) to develop, integrate, and demonstrate advanced technologies to meet the navy’s current and future [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] requirements”, in the wake of the ‘Northern Edge’ exercise, Cauley-Bruner said in a 23 June email.

Conducted from 4 May to 19 May, ‘Northern Edge 2023′