Triton drones to be based in Florida

The Navy has chosen Mayport, Florida, as the East Coast base for its MQ-4C Triton UAV.

Naval Station Mayport will be the East Coast Forward Operating Base, according to a Navy news release.

"Mayport will be a permanent duty station for about 400 Triton UAS personnel and will support rotational deployments outside the continental United States," the Navy said. "Facility construction will begin this year with the first Triton UAS scheduled to arrive in 2020."

The Triton uses a "remote split" system, where the crews of squadron Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19, or VUP-19, that operate the East Coast UAVs will be based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, while the unmanned aircraft and their maintenance crews operate out of Mayport. 

"As the east coast FOB, Mayport will be the launch and recovery site for four forward-based MQ-4C Triton UAS aircraft and consolidated maintenance hub for up to four additional aircraft," the Navy said.

More In UAS

Opinion

Five priorities for advancing NATO’s space mission

NATO’s progress in the "final frontier” is notable but insufficient, argue RAND analysts Anca Agachi, Shaan Shaikh and Bruce McClintock.

Eying a Starlink alternative, France to boost Eutelsat stake

The French government announced a 10-year framework contract with Eutelsat worth as much as €1 billion to provide military-grade satellite communications.

York’s experimental communications satellite ready for launch

The spacecraft, dubbed Dragoon, will fly on SpaceX’s Transporter 14 rideshare mission, which is slated to launch June 20.

Space Force’s first next-gen missile warning launch pushed to 2026

GAO has long warned the program’s first launch would be delayed at least a year. Those projections could prove true, but perhaps for more nuanced reasons.

Sierra Space launches defense-focused business

Over the last two years, Sierra Space has been awarded $1.5 billion in defense contracts for satellites and components.