NAVY UNMANNED AIR SYSTEMS
RQ-4A Global Hawk, MQ-4C Triton
Operating alongside the P-8A
Poseidon, the Northrop Grumman
MQ-4C unmanned air system
(UAS) is a key element in the
recapitalization of the airborne
intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance (ISR) capability
of the navy’s maritime patrol and
reconnaissance force (MPRF).
Northrop Grumman originally
delivered two modi ed RQ-4As to
the Navy in support of its Global
Hawk Maritime Demonstration
(GHMD) in 2005. The naval
version is based on the airframe
of the USAF’s early Block 10
RQ-4As but features an inverse
synthetic aperture radar (ISAR)
that has a maritime search mode
among other minor changes.
The GHMD was renamed the
Broad Area Maritime Surveillance
Demonstrator (BAMS-D)
Program in 2009.
The rst RQ-4A was deployed
to Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab
Emirates in February 2009 toconduct maritime surveillance
missions and support the
development of concepts and
tactics in support of the BAMS.
The BAMS-D aircraft have
remained deployed in support of
CENTCOM ISR taskings and have
operated in-theater for more than
nine years. Three additional Block
10 RQ-4As were acquired from the
USAF in 2011; however, one of the
Global Hawks was subsequently
written o in a crash that occurred
in June 2012.
The Block 20 version of the
Global Hawk was selected as the
winner of the BAMS unmanned
aircraft system (BAMS UAS) project
in April 2008. It was assigned the
designation MQ-4C and received
the name Triton in September- The Triton rst ew at
Palmdale, California, in May 2013
and the initial pair of system
development and demonstration
(SDD) aircraft was delivered to
NAS Patuxent River in 2014.
Although production plans
initially provided for six
developmental aircraft comprising
three for developmental test (DT)
and three system demonstration
test articles (SDTA), the numbers
were reduced to include two SDD
and two SDTA airframes.
A Milestone C decision approved
low-rate initial production in
September 2016 and an order
for the rst batch of three
Lot 1 MQ-4Cs followed. The
service’s program of record in
includes 68 Tritons that will be
delivered by 2032.
The rst operational MQ-4C
arrived at Naval Base Ventura
County-Point Mugu, California,
November 9, 2017. The Tritons will
initially be maintained by personnel
assigned to VUP-19, Detachment
Point Mugu but own by crews at
Jacksonville.
The navy plans to acquire 68
Tritons and will initially operate
the unmanned aircraft from Naval
Station Mayport, Florida and NAS
Sigonella, Italy, as well as Guam.
An early operational capability
will be established on Guam in- A second squadron will
be established when VUP-11 is
formed at NAS Whidbey Island,
Washington. Four Tritons will be
assigned to each base.
A single Triton orbit will provide a
continuous surveillance capability
at a maximum mission radius of
2,000nm (3,704km) for a minimum
of 24 hours. When full operational
capability is achieved, the system
will provide up to ve simultaneous
orbits worldwide.
An MQ-8C Fire Scout
takes o from Naval Base
Ventura County at Point
Mugu. US NavyMQ-25A Stingray
US Naval Air Systems Command
released the nal request for
proposals to industry for the air
segment of its unmanned carrier-
based air refueling system (CBARS)
in October 2017. The nal RFP was
issued to industry competitors that
comprise Lockheed Martin, Boeing,
and General Atomics. All three
contractors recently revealed their
designs for the MQ-25A. It expectsto award a contract for the project
by September 2018.
The MQ-25A was originally
known as the Unmanned Carrier-
Based Reconnaissance and
Strike (UCLASS) project but was
restructured. The Stingray was
assigned the designation MQ-25
in July 2016. It will provide the CSG
with a persistent, multi-mission
aerial refueling and intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance(ISR) UAS that will be integrated
with the CVW. The Stingray will
be capable of delivering around
15,000lb (6,804kg) of fuel while
operating 500nm (926km) from the
host aircraft carrier. Procurement
plans for the MQ-25A have been
pushed out to FY 2023 when
the rst four air vehicles will be
purchased. The Stingray is expected
to achieve initial operational
capability in FY 2026.MQ-8B/C Fire Scout
The Fire Scout is a component of
the navy’s airborne intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance
(ISR) family of systems. It is being
elded in two versions comprising
the MQ-8B and MQ-8C.
Development of the Fire Scout
began when Northrop Grumman
was awarded a contract for the
engineering and manufacturing
development (EMD) phase of
the Vertical Take-o and Landing
Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle
(VTUAV) program in February 2000.
The original RQ-8A version was
later replaced by the more capable
MQ-8B. Both versions were based
on the Sikorsky/Schweizer model
S-433 helicopter.
The MQ-8B has conducted
deployments aboard US Navy
guided missile frigates (FFG)
and littoral combat ships (LCS)
and supported the Intelligence,
Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Task Force in Afghanistan. It
achieved initial operational
capability in March 2014. During
December 2017, the MQ-8B
completed a deployment aboard
the littoral combat ship USS
Coronado (LCS-4) that marked
the rst time the Telephonics AN/
ZPY-4(v)1 maritime search radar
had been installed operationally on
the Fire Scout. Capable of trackingRQ-21A Blackjack
The RQ-21A was selected to
ll a joint US Navy and Marine
Corps requirement for a small
tactical unmanned aircraft system
(STUAS) in 2010. Developed by
Boeing’s Insitu subsidiary, the
Blackjack completed its rst
shipboard ight in February 2013
from the amphibious transport
dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPDAn MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft lands at NAS
Patuxent River. US Navy/Kelly SchindlerUS NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
(^84) AIR POWER REVIEW
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