The US Navy awarded a $267 million modification to an existing contract with Northrop Grumman for the production and delivery of two additional MQ-4C Triton drones. The modification also includes one Navy Main Operating Base and associated support, according to the Pentagon. The US Navy plans to acquire a total of 27 MQ-4C TRITONS, a significant reduction from the 77 originally planned, in accordance with the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) which re-evaluated the program, leading to a decrease in the total inventory requirement and in the number of deployable locations from 5 to 3.

The MQ-4C TRITON can fly for more than 24 hours at altitudes above 50,000 feet with a range of 7,400 miles. It is designed to teamwork with P-8 POSEIDON maritime patrol planes, enhancing their intelligence gathering, supporting search and rescue operations, and serving as a communications relay. In September 2023, the first TRITONs reached the Initial Operating Capacity (IOC) clearing the way for the drone to be deployed into operations in the US Indo-Pacific Command. Following the first detachment permanently deployed in Guarm (and Okinawa), the second one deployed at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, in March 2024. The USN plans for at least one more in a yet-to-be-announced location, potentially at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington State or a base in the US Central Command area of responsibility.

Since entering service, the TRITON has logged nearly 5,000 operational flight hours performing maritime domain awareness and surveillance missions. Its crew includes 5 members per ground station: a pilot, a tactical coordinator, 2 mission payload operators, and a foreign signals intelligence coordinator. It is also in service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which received its first MQ-4C in June 2024. Once fully deployed, the Australian High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAV will be operated by the 9 Squadron from RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia and RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory.

According to the company, Northrop Grumman's proven MQ-4C TRITON is ready to support battlefield commanders and strategic decision makers by providing unmatched maritime ISR capabilities.

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