MQ-4C Triton. (Northrop Grumman)
One of two MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) crashed yesterday on a Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Calif., base runway following an inflight mechanical issue and landing gear failure. the Triton experienced an “inflight mechanical issue” during a test flight around 2:45pm on Wednesday, spokesperson for Naval Air Force Atlantic (CNAL) said in a statement.
The pilots shut down the engine and attempted to land the aircraft on a runway at the naval base as a “precautionary measure.” However, the MQ-4C’s landing gear did not deploy and it landed on the runway while the landing gear was still retracted.
There were no injuries reported, but the mishap is under investigation by the Navy.
The Navy is planning to make the Triton its unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft, eventually equipped with surface search radar, electro-optical and infrared cameras, and a multi-intelligence sensor suite.
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