Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/BAMS-UAS.jpg/220px-BAMS-UAS.jpg)
Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) is a UAV system, which will provide continuous maritime surveillance for the US Navy and complement the 737 based Multimission Maritime Aircraft (MMA), the P-8A Poseidon.[1]
The system is expected to enter service around 2015.[2] Around 40 UAVs will be based at five sites - Hawaii; Diego Garcia; NAS Jacksonville, Florida; NAS Kadena, Japan; and Sigonella, Italy.
Contract competition
The competitors for the contract included:[3]
- Boeing, with an unmanned version of the Gulfstream 550 business jet. By using a commercially-available aircraft, "Boeing is seeking to raise awareness of its entry — an optionally manned Gulfstream 550 business jet[4] — by stressing its commonality with other Boeing-built naval aircraft."[5]
- Northrop Grumman, with a marinized RQ-4 Global Hawk. In order to begin testing the surveillance package early, Northrop Grumman contracted with Flight Test Associates of the Mojave Spaceport to modify a Grumman Gulfstream II as a flying testbed.
- Lockheed Martin, with a General Atomics Mariner
On 22 April 2008, Northrop Grumman received the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance contract worth $1.16 billion.[6] Lockheed Martin filed a formal protest with the GAO two weeks later.[7] On August 11, 2008 the GAO ruled to uphold the Navy’s selection of Northrop Grumman.[8] In September 2010, the BAMS aircraft was designated the MQ-4C.[9]
Specificiations
Data from [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: Unmanned, 4 per ground station
Performance
References
- ^ "US Navy Fact File for P-8A Poseidon"
- ^ Defence Systems – Daily October 1, 2007
- ^ Boeing / Gulfstream 550 BAMS
- ^ “Boeing envisions ‘maritime ISR triad’ (C4ISR Journal, September 12, 2007)
- ^ Navy Awards Northrop Grumman Unmanned Aircraft System Contract
- ^ Lockheed protests USN BAMS award
- ^ NAV Air News Release - BAMS UAS program resumes
- ^ BAMS given MQ-4C designation
External links
- Northrop Grumman BAMS contender web site
- Boeing / Gulfstream BAMS contender presentation This link is not working 29 Oct 10
- Lockheed Martin BAMS product web site
- Flight Test Associates web site