First MQ-4C Triton for the Royal Australian Air Force arrives in Australia.

Australia’s first Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton arrived at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory on Sunday 16th of June 2024 after flying from California.
The MQ-4C Triton is a high altitude, long endurance (HALE), remotely piloted aircraft system, which provides long-range surveillance and will be used mainly across the North of Australia’s maritime approaches.
The MQ-4C Triton fleet of four aircraft will be based at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory, and operated by Royal Australian Air Force aircrew of the reformed Number 9 Squadron at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia and will supplement the P-8A Poseidon in the ISR role.
#raaf #drone #australia

[@RobertLewis-el9ub]

10 years late - but it's here now.

[@GavinGillett]

I'm in love :D

[@justbrowsing6327]

So was it flown direct from overseas, or delivered in pieces, before being assembled in aust, then flown to its base? Would've been awesome to be on hand for that first fly in, either way.

[@CaptVirtual]

It flew from California

[@politenessman3901]

Given the sort of things we have seen being done with small drones, I am starting to doubt the wisdom of our forward basing strategy.

[@Tsk703]

coupla B21 raiders soon

[@thomasparkerculver709]

These are end of life in the US. Old technology.

[@Buddy89538]

Technically it’s a new variant. This model only became operational to the US Navy in 2020. Hardly old technology

[@asecret900]

BS

[@bee5440]

No, they're pretty new - the Navy is still getting orders filled

[@muhammadhaziqhafizanbinzul8713]

Congratulations to Royal Australian Air Force for receiving the 1st MQ-4C Triton , pairing with Boeing P-8A Poseidon this well enhance RAAF capabilities to patrol over vast ocean surrounding Australia.

[@ntal5859]

No it won't, it will down for maintenance every other day. And now it's Aussie it won't work weekends nor public and state holidays and will want to go home to see family in the states for Xmas.

[@kitgoodyear9270]

Impressive it flew from California to NT. These have been around a while now, better late than never. Great that we have them.

[@aviationphotographydigest]

Via Wake Island. Its presumed flight originated from Palmdale where they are being manufactured.

[@richardcharlton8259]

About bloody time

[@QueenslandTrainVideos]

I forget, how many years late are they?

[@walkingmanvideo9455]

I seen a Triton a few weeks ago. It was made by Mitsubishi.

[@robwallis2462]

Sadly these are not very survivable

[@Spookieham]

Think about this - its unmanned and flew a very,very long way to Australia.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

Looks like we've got a new paint scheme for all the RC model versions, ready to do laps around sporting events with live stream cameras while the people on the ground think they're 'official security,...' 😂

[@geoffbuttsworth]

Great to see 9SQN flying again

[@steverichardson6920]

We need one doing laps over WA during fire season to identify all those bugs that light fires for the fun of it, could become a standard trading regime for new pilots 🤷🏼

[@Buddy89538]

Ask your state government about that. This is used for maritime surveillance and reconnaissance for the commonwealth

[@aviationphotographydigest]

This is what the government should invest in for the fire season. Video to Sinab pod: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n56knIqerqmLa7Msi=vDTx7o4M8MpK0BPd

[@steverichardson6920]

@@aviationphotographydigest this has some great promise for real time data in any developing situation for relatively dare I say low cost….would be invaluable for fire control as an incident controller I would love access to real time information. Main issue I see is available loiter time, with the MQ-4 it can just record images over an extended time span, if a fire develops then the pre fire footage can be reviewed to determine if any suspicious vehicles were in the area, the potential field of view is immense and potentially any suspect vehicle could be followed, this would be a different scenario aimed at prosecution rather than fire control, both systems are worthwhile value add and should be considered. Love the old Cessna would be a personal choice for me…….!

[@charliemarkovic4301]

Xi Jingpingpong wants to know your location.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

You already told him when you bought a smartphone, regardless of brand.

[@joebloggs24]

RAAF Tindal, NT

[@AwesomeSauce81]

Watching Xi Jingpingpong's wife taking a bath.

[@charliemarkovic4301]

@@AwesomeSauce81 HAHAHAHA 😂

[@tinto278]

Australia has U-2 capability now. ⚡🦅

[@user-kt7gn6xw3v]

We can't even build or produce a tooth pick

[@camf7522]

Congrats 9SQN.

[@alexlanning712]

"gamechanger"!

[@AwesomeSauce81]

9 Sqn

[@craigbeatty8565]

Must be a challenge landing it at night.

[@ntal5859]

The AI {computer } don't care, synthetic aperture radar, and all the other sensors it doesn't need a human pilot... Look up global hawk...that is all it is, a repainted 20 yr old outdated none weaponized unit for watching birds migration.

[@destinyangel5]

Can you believe this plane switches engine off can avoid radar and glides for hours .

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

'Off',. or just 'idle', given it's also be the power source to turn the onboard electirical generator.

[@snuggles03]

can someone explain what that is?

[@KevinSmith-yo8qb]

MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial system ( no it is not a drone!). Developed from Global Hawk. Big difference is Triton can descend and climb on station whereas Global Hawk stays at altitude.

[@snuggles03]

@@KevinSmith-yo8qb thank you

[@davidsivyer5096]

How many pilots were needed for what would have beena bloody long ferry flight?

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

2. One to monitor take off, the other to monitor landing. Neither would have touched the controls.

[@ntal5859]

AI Bot not joking it's just repainted global hawk. One landed in Amberley in 2010ish or earlier full auto.

[@oldged3211]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes I would hope some one was monitoring the flight and keeping separation from other aircraft.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

@@oldged3211 It fly's above commercial traffic, the only thing that it needs to avoid is a U-2

[@oldged3211]

@@PiDsPagePrototypes OK, thanks for the reply. Amazing aircraft. We need a few of these for our northern coastal waters patrolling for illegal fishing boats and boat immigrants. So, is the idea to have a remote pilot for take off and landing, meaning get them from the ground, through traffic to their 50,000 feet cruise and back again? Do they have cameras to aid take off/landing?

[@craigmorris7186]

About time good to see the Australian taxpayers money getting spent on our military forces. Instead of forien aid

[@megcollis9169]

Foreign

[@DownUnderDigitals]

@@megcollis9169 Maybe the Government should put money towards education, lol.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

Properly spent, Foreign Aid packages reduce the need for Military spending, because you help your neighbours step up to become your equals and allies, meaning thier own people want to stay where they are rather then needing to find somewhere better. Of course, that good intention has to dodge corruption and funds redirection.

[@adrianbalboa5353]

Remember all the aid given to afghanistan money well spent.

[@xgford94]

If we don’t pay foreign aid, the Chinese will. The Solomon Islands will not be the last to sell access to ports

[@gcm747]

I watched U2’s out of Kandahar, wrote A Defence paper on the Triton and here they are.

[@gavinlee7876]

SO, All of us who have served over the years KNOW that these things have been around since at least the year 2000, SO why has it taken our Government/s SO FUCKING LONG to purchase a few????

[@ntal5859]

So we can it second hand with all the airframe's life hours spent, of course still a bargain at full price NOT.

[@Buddy89538]

Considering the US Navy only established its operational capability in May 2020 it definitely isn’t “old” as you’re insinuating. The base design is off the Global Hawk which has been in service for over a decade but this variant of the MQ4C is pretty brand new. So it wasn’t a long wait at all to get a fully mission capable and ready platform

[@horsehead8306]

Can it carry a weapon payload?

[@ajraussie]

No. Surveillance only

[@Leftyintollerable]

That's a waste of money then. Hopefully it can be converted to a wpn carry drone in short time.

[@VectorChi-kn8yb]

@@Leftyintollerablec’mon mate. You can do better. That’s like wanting our Wedtails to carry ordnance. Unique roles for unique platforms.

[@DownUnderDigitals]

@@Leftyintollerable Derp.

[@joncarolyn]

It’s the unarmed version because it’s for maritime surveillance aka looking for boat people and illegal fishing

[@chriswording8638]

Awesome but why only 4 and why can't they build it here?

[@Buddy89538]

Don’t need any more than 2 up conducting patrols at any one time, these things can stay airborne long enough to do a full sweep of the entire coastlines.

[@geoffbuttsworth]

The last military aircraft type we built here was the MRH90 Taipan fleet. How’d that go?

[@Buddy89538]

@@geoffbuttsworthdon’t think we built the taipan. They were bought new off the shelf from NHI/Airbus in Europe

[@geoffbuttsworth]

@@Buddy89538 Nope. Built in Pinkenba in Brisbane

[@lancebond2338]

Somewhere between 4 and 7, we don’t know for sure.