NATO has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to expand its Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Force by pursuing acquisition of Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton aircraft.
“Our collaboration with NATO and the U.S. Navy strengthens the Alliance’s ground and maritime surveillance capabilities. Like Phoenix, 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," Northrop Grumman, vice president and general manager, global surveillance division, Jane Bishop, stated.
Four nations signed the LOI at the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum. Working closely with NATO, the US Navy and trans-Atlantic industrial partners, Northrop Grumman will build and deliver the aircraft. Key European industry partners will deliver components of the ground station and supporting data processing infrastructure.
NATO has operated Northrop Grumman's RQ-4D Phoenix (Global Hawk variant) from Sigonella, Italy. The MQ-4C Triton complements the Phoenix fleet by expanding NATO’s organic ISR assets.
Built for the US Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton supports missions including maritime patrol, signals intelligence and search and rescue.