NATO expands high-altitude intelligence capability with MQ-4C Triton purchase
NATO believes the Triton will increase allies’ ability to detect threats early, protect lines of communication and support operations in the Arctic and the High North (Photo: NATO)
The proposed drone acquisition is intended to form part of a distributed structure of surveillance capabilities, complementing systems such as the RQ-4D Global Hawks already acquired by NATO.
At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, Turkey on 7 July, NATO announced that Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway would jointly procure up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton drones.
Shephard’s Defence Insight estimates that this NATO procurement is worth US$1.215 billion. NATO has confirmed that a transatlantic industrial consortium is being formed to deliver the capability, with Northrop Grumman building the aircraft and Airbus Defence and Space and other European companies providing the ground segment, data management services, command and control, infrastructure and mission support.
Is it not the first purchase of this type from NATO, with the alliance
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