168459

168459 is a Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton, a single-engine jet. SkyMeter has tracked 44 flights totalling 333 hours of airtime via ADS-B across 3 callsigns. The most frequent segment is KNHK to KNHK. Service window in our records spans 383 days. The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton has a maximum takeoff weight of 32,250 lb, medium wake category.

About the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton

The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is the U.S. Navy's high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned maritime surveillance aircraft, derived from the Air Force's RQ-4 Global Hawk but optimized for overwater reconnaissance. Introduced operationally in 2018, the Triton provides persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance across vast ocean areas, capable of monitoring 2.7 million square nautical miles in a single 24-hour mission — an area roughly the size of India.

Its reinforced airframe tolerates the moisture and turbulence of low-altitude maritime patrol, a capability the land-focused Global Hawk lacks, and its multi-function active sensor can simultaneously track surface vessels and conduct high-resolution imaging. Powered by a single Rolls-Royce AE3007H turbofan, the Triton cruises above 50,000 feet with endurance exceeding 24 hours and range over 8,200 nautical miles, making it one of the longest-loitering operational UAVs. The aircraft's 130.9-foot wingspan — wider than a Boeing 757's — supports efficient high-altitude flight, while its maximum takeoff weight of 32,250 pounds accommodates extensive sensor payloads and fuel.

Australia operates the type alongside the U.S. Navy under the designation MQ-4C, with the Royal Australian Air Force receiving its first Triton in 2024. SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators over routes.