Boost for Australia's ISR capability

The Australian Minister for Defence industry, Patrick Conroy, announced that a fourth Northrop Grumman Corporation MQ-4C Triton High Altitude Long Range Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) has been purchased for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

The aircraft is an addition to the earlier purchase of three Tritons that was announced in 2022 and is part of an overall plan for six or seven of the type. The additional aircraft will enable enhanced maritime Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations from Australia's northern bases. The Tritons will be operated by 9 Squadron based at RAAF Base Tindal (NT) with the first one to arrive in 2024.

For this task, 9 Squadron was re-raised in June 2023 after it had been disbanded in 1989 when its S-70A Black Hawks helicopters got transferred to the Australian Army. 9 Squadron is part of 92 Wing headquartered at RAAF Base Edinburgh (SA) and currently consists of 10 Squadron Strike First operating two AP-3C(EW) Orions, which will be replaced by the MC-55A Peregrine, and 11 Squadron Shepherd or Destroy operating twelve, with two more on order, Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

In the same statement about the Triton, the Ministry also announced plans to upgrade all P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The upgrades will improve anti-submarine warfare, maritime strike and intelligence capabilities. The upgrades will start in 2026 and will be completed by 2030.

Credit photo: Northrop Grumman