US Okays Germany's Request for MQ-4C Triton UAS for $2.5 Billion

The State Department approved sale to Germany of MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for an estimated cost of $2.50 billion.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale Tuesday.

The Government of Germany has requested to buy four MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), one Mission Control Station (MCS) comprised of one Main Operating Base (MOB) (MD-3A) and one Forward Operating Base (FOB) (MD-3B), ten Kearfott Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS), units (2 per aircraft plus 2 spares), and ten LN-251 INS/GPS units (2 per aircraft plus 2 spares), DSCA said in a statement.

This proposed MQ-4C UAS sale will be a modified version of the USN Triton configuration.  Also included is one Rolls Royce Engine (spare), communication equipment, support equipment, mission planning element to include Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) Global Positioning System (GPS) items, Communications Security (COMSEC) equipment, mapping, training, support equipment, consumables, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, ground support equipment, flight test support, airworthiness support, personnel training and training devices, applicable software, hardware, publications and technical data, facilities and maintenance support, US Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics supports services, and other elements of unique engineering efforts required to support the integration, installation and functional platform compatibility testing of Germany’s indigenous payload and other related elements of logistics and program support, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

The proposed sale of the MQ-4C Triton will support legitimate national security requirements and significantly enhance Germany's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and the overall collective security of the European Union and NATO.

This proposed MQ-4C UAS sale will be a modified version of the United States Navy (USN) Triton configuration. 

The prime contractor will be Northrop Grumman responsible for integration, installation and functional platform compatibility testing of the payload. 

Airbus will be the prime contractor to Germany for the development and manufacturing, and will be responsible for the functional test, end-to-end test and installed performance.  There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.