SAN DIEGO, Nov. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Northrop
Grumman Corp. (NYSE: NOC) and Triumph Aerostructures – Vought
Aircraft Division, a subsidiary of Triumph Group, Inc., have
successfully demonstrated the structural strength of the U.S.
Navy's Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) wing. This is a key
capability that will allow the aircraft to descend from high
altitudes to make positive identification of targets of interest
during surveillance missions.
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A team of engineers found that no failures or unacceptable
deformations of the wing occurred when it was subjected to a load
at 22 percent above the Navy's requirement.
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"During surveillance missions using Triton, Navy operators may
spot a target of interest and order the aircraft to a lower
altitude to make positive identification," said Mike Mackey, Northrop Grumman's Triton UAS
program director. "The wing's strength allows the aircraft to
safely descend, sometimes through weather patterns, to complete
this maneuver."
Northrop Grumman's wing supplier for its portfolio of
high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft systems is Triumph
Aerostructures - Vought Aircraft Division. The testing was
conducted at their facility in Dallas.
Additional steps needed to certify the wing's life span include
flight tests at various weights placed within the wing that
simulate various fuel loads and a fatigue test of the entire
airframe that will begin in 2017.
The MQ-4C Triton will provide long-range intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance to Navy commanders as a complement
to the manned P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
Using a specialized suite of sensors that sweep in a 360-degree
field of view, Triton can monitor more than one million square
miles of ocean in a single mission.
Northrop Grumman is the Navy's prime contractor for the Triton
UAS with 68 aircraft planned to be built.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing
innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems,
cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and
commercial customers worldwide. Please visit
www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
SOURCE Northrop Grumman Corporation