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NATO has acquired up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton uncrewed aircraft to support continued regional operations.
Purchased by Finland, Denmark, Germany and Norway, the procurement of the drone is expected to provide significant support in NATO’s own internal intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) Force.
The MQ-4C Triton is currently being used by the Royal Australian Air Force and the US Navy, acting as a critical intelligence instrument, used within border and ocean surveillance operations.
“Our collaboration with NATO and the US Navy strengthens the alliance’s ground and maritime surveillance capabilities,” said Jane Bishop, vice president and manager of Northrop Grumman’s global surveillance division.
MQ-4C Triton is backed by the company’s “HALE” framework, providing high-altitude, long-endurance capabilities to the drone technology. Long-range sensors support early detection of potential threats and have the capacity to provide vast ISR in critical regions.
“Triton conducts ISR at higher altitude and with longer endurance than medium-altitude systems and is poised to provide NATO new levels of capability and operational flexibility to monitor and protect maritime interests from the Mediterranean to the High North,” Bishop said.
The deal was announced at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Türkiye and represents alliance and collaboration with the global community.
Being delivered through a “trans-Atlantic industrial consortium”, US-based Northrop Grumman will build the aircraft, with a multitude of European-based companies being responsible for delivering data, command and control, and additional mission support requirements.
NATO said this will “leverage the work and trans-Atlantic relationships built upon the last decade to enable a modern and capable NATO ISR Force”.
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