An aircraft carrying the MQ-4C Triton's navigation system flew within 160 kilometres of the North Pole as part of a test flight from Alaska. The flight, which lasted for five hours, demonstrated the Triton navigation system's ability to operate at high polar latitudes.
The test flight also gathered data to enable launch and recovery operations from airfields above 70 degrees north, by validating GPS alignment and initialisation procedures that could be used by a Triton aircraft.
“Arctic regions are an increasingly important theater of operations with unique threats and environments. We are ready to support those mission sets for domestic and international customers," said the US Navy's Triton Program Manager, Captain Josh Guerre.
Arctic operations aren't just important to the US Navy, but also Australia and potential export customers including Norway.
While Australia won't be flying Tritons over the Arctic, the technology and procedures have applications for low latitude operations over the Southern Ocean and into Antarctica. In Norway, Northrop Grumman is pitching Triton to fulfill a requirement for "long-range drones with sensors and systems for monitoring maritime areas of interest in the north."