Triton drone: Germany backed down, Australia convinced by the manufacturer

  • Reading Time:2Minutes

Withdrawing Germany from behind Triton reconnaissance drones, developer Northrop Grumman is now trying to persuade Australia to ask for the ordered copies first, because without it, the program will be temporarily suspended in 2021.

For a long time, Germany seemed to be buying several copies of the naval version of one of Northop Grumman’s most successful reconnaissance drones, the RQ-4 Global Hawk, the MQ-4C Triton. The aircraft would have filled the shortfall left over from the Breguet Atlantics intelligence aircraft withdrawn in 2010, without a successor, but the final view of the decision-makers is that these large unmanned aircraft could pose a threat to European air traffic. The decision will not have a good impact on the production of the MQ-4C either: according to the plans of the current Trump government, the Navy will not receive additional copies of the type in 2021-22. During this period, the military leadership would focus more on a modernized version of IFC-4 specifically designed for electronic warfare, forcing the manufacturer to develop it as well, if Congress also approves the draft budget. Northop Grumman has therefore now turned to Australia, which has previously been interested in acquiring Triton to effectively control its own territorial waters.

According to Northrop, if an Australian or other contract does not replace German, production costs could rise significantly. This is because the U.S. has virtually no demand for machines planned to be assembled so far during the LRIP 5 production cycle, but the Triton program has the same cost during the two-year quasi-break. This could have been avoided if Australians had modified their 2018 order and produced their own copies next year and 2022, respectively. This would be good for the government as well, it would be able to put the new drones into the system even earlier than originally planned, reaching their full deployment before the set deadline. The Australian government has already indicated that they are also working closely with the U.S. Navy and Northrop Grummann, but have no plans to make changes to the procurement of marine patrols yet. They will certainly not do anything until the new defense budget, and thus the funding plan for the MQ-4C program, becomes law.

More articles you may be interested in...

News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel

Evolution and Implications of Battery Charging Technology for evtol and Electric Aircraft in 2025

The evolution and implications of battery charging technology for electric vertical takeoff and landing (evtol) and electric aircraft are pivotal for the aviation industry's sustainability goals. As of March 18, 2025, this technology is at a critical juncture, with significant advancements and challenges shaping its future.

Additional aircraft News & Articles

Bio-inspired drone technology: pioneering Mars exploration

Researchers at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (FSB) at the University of Zagreb, in collaboration with the...>>>...READ MORE

EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles

Joby and Virgin Atlantic announce groundbreaking partnership

Flying Cars News & Articles

Will we have flying cars before fully self-driving cars ?

EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles

EHang: Record Growth and Breakthrough in Urban Air Mobility – A Detailed Analysis of 2024 Financial Results

EHang Holdings Limited (Nasdaq: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform company,...>>>...READ MORE

more

News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel

Electric motor development: new materials and efficiency-enhancing technologies

Electric motors are the beating heart of eVTOLs. Unlike the roaring engines of old-school helicopters, these motors hum with electricity, converting stored energy from batteries into the mechanical power needed to lift off, cruise, and land. But here’s the catch: eVTOLs demand a lot from...>>>...READ MORE

Drones News & Articles

BYD and DJI create a car with a drone

EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles

Artificial intelligence and the future of self-driving eVTOLs

This is the vision of autonomous electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, a...>>>...READ MORE

more

News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel

The current status of hydrogen-powered aircraft

Air transport has been growing steadily over the past decades, but sustainability is a growing challenge for the industry. The fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions of conventional aircraft cause significant environmental impacts, while global demand for air travel continues to grow.