Australia has ordered four aircraft in total through intergovernmental Letters of Offer and Acceptance agreements. Their primary mission is to support manned platforms in maritime surveillance and security operations around Australia, complementing Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft.
We delivered two MQ-4C Tritons to the @AusAirForce, bringing Australia’s fleet to three aircraft. Australia’s Triton program is on track with a fourth aircraft currently in production.✈️Learn more: https://t.co/tyMZPXKDOM https://t.co/722pTPK8Eu
— Northrop Grumman (@NGCNews) August 19, 2025
The delivery process involved a trans-Pacific flight from the United States, with technical stopovers en route. Operational control during the relocation was conducted from the Patuxent River base in Maryland in the United States.
Australia is currently the only export operator of the MQ-4C Triton. With high levels of autonomy, the aircraft are capable of conducting missions over extended periods, allowing for wide-area patrol coverage.
So far, apart from Australia, Northrop Grumman has delivered around 30 MQ-4C Triton aircraft to the US Navy. The long-term plan is for the fleet to sustain up to five reconnaissance orbits in 24/7 operations worldwide.
