Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) has completed more than 25 flight tests of the US Navy Triton unmanned aircraft system’s (UAS) primary maritime surveillance sensor in preparation for its installation on the aircraft.

The company is conducting risk-reduction tests of the multi-function active sensor (MFAS) using a Gulfstream II surrogate aircraft off the California coast. The radar will provide the Triton UAS with a 360-degree view of ocean and coastal regions.

“Surrogate flights have allowed us to mature the MFAS radar’s capabilities and merge the data with information received from other sensors and equipment that will also be used on Triton,” said Mike Mackey, Triton UAS Program Director with Northrop Grumman. “By gathering this information in real and simulated environments, we can refine how an operator sees data while tasking the system in flight.”

The MFAS, an active, electronically and mechanically scanned array radar, is designed for maritime surveillance missions. It uses a combination of electronic scanning with a mechanical rotation, allowing the radar to spotlight a geographic area of interest for longer periods—increasing detection capabilities for smaller targets, particularly in sea clutter. Triton’s full sensor suite will allow areas up to 2,000 nautical miles to be monitored at a time.