More drones for Navy

[unhappycamper]

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/apr/12/triton-northropgrumman-navy-drone/?st



Engineered in San Diego, MQ-4C Triton destined to become Northrop's largest drone program

More drones for Navy
By Jeanette Steele
11:51 a.m.April 12, 2014

Would the lost Malaysia Airlines jet be found if Northrop Grumman's Triton unmanned search plane was in the hunt?

~snip~

But the MQ-4C Triton drone, which at 68 aircraft would become the defense giant's largest unmanned-vehicle program ever, is destined to take over part of the work of the Navy's P-3 Orion and P-8 Poseidon search planes, which have been combing the Indian Ocean for Flight 370.

The Triton -- engineered and designed by 800 people in the company's Rancho Bernardo campus -- is on the ascent to become one of the Navy's most-used drones. And it represents another big step by the Navy into the world of unmanned aviation.

The Pentagon's proposed 2015 budget includes money to buy 16 Tritons over the next five years.

--

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_MQ-4C_Triton

MQ-4C Triton
MQ-4C Triton flight testing.jpg
The prototype MQ-4C on its first flight
Role Surveillance UAV
National origin United States
Manufacturer Northrop Grumman
First flight 22 May 2013
Status Testing
Primary user United States Navy
Number built 68(planned) + 2 prototypes[1]
Program cost US$13,240.9m (as of FY13)
Unit cost
US$137.907m (FY13)[1]
US$189.156m (inc R&D)[1]
Developed from Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk


Since the Global Hawk costs around a quarter of a billion dollars (delivered), and the costs of military hardware NEVER goes down, I'm guessing that $190 million figure to be a bit low.