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Naval
Forces News - Australia |
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Australia plans to procure more P-8 Poseidon MPA than planned, reducing
MQ-4C Triton UAS order |
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According to the
head of the Royal Australian Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown, Australia
is currently considering an increase in the number of P-8 Poseidon
it plans to procure which would reduce the number of MQ-4C Triton
drone it originally planned to purchase.
The US Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8As, which are based on the Next-Generation
Boeing 737-800 platform. The versatile multi-mission aircraft provides
broad long-range maritime patrol capabilities -- anti-submarine warfare,
anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
-- and was intended to replace the US Navy P-3 fleet. The P-8 has
also been chosen by the Indian navy.
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A P-8A Poseidon
conducts a weapons test with the Harpoon. After an extensive testing
period, the P-8A program passes Initial Operational Test and Evaluation
and is found “operationally effective, operationally suitable,
and ready for fleet introduction.” (U.S. Navy photo) |
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The Northrop
Grumman's United States Navy MQ-4C Triton Broad Area Maritime Surveillance
(BAMS) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program provides persistent maritime
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data collection
and dissemination capability to the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance
Force (MPRF). The MQ-4C Triton is a multi-mission system to support
strike, signals intelligence, and communications relay.
It will be a key component of the US Navy's Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance
Force family of systems.
As an adjunct to the manned P-8A Poseidon, the MQ-4C Triton will be
a major part of the military's surveillance strategy for the Asia and
Pacific regions. The Triton will fly missions for 24 hours at altitudes
greater than 10 miles, allowing the system to monitor 2,000 nautical
miles of ocean and littoral areas at a time. |
