The U.S. Navy has begun operational assessment trials of Northrop Grumman's MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system.
The trials will be used to support the Navy's MQ-4 Milestone C review and entry into low-rate initial production.
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command said the operational assessment will take place over two months. The Triton UAS will conduct six flights and execute various operational test scenarios.
The set scenarios will demonstrate Triton's collection of data in support of fleet customers while exercising each of the system's mission areas — intelligence, surface warfare, amphibious warfare and missions of state.
"We worked very hard to demonstrate system performance and stability leading up to the start of operational assessment," said Sean Burke, Triton program manager. "We are eager to move into initial production as the next step to delivering Triton to the fleet."
The Navy plans to eventually buy 68 surveillance MQ-4C Tritons, with three operational by 2017.
Former operators speak out about US drone killings
Washington (AFP) Nov 19, 2015 – America's use of drones to kill suspected jihadists around the world is driving hatred toward the United States and causing further radicalization, four former airmen have said.
In an open letter to President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and CIA Director John Brennan, the four former drone operators said they were involved in the killing of innocent civilians, and had gone on to suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"We came to the realization that the innocent civilians we were killing only fueled the feelings of hatred that ignited terrorism and groups like (the Islamic State group), while also serving as a fundamental recruitment tool," the men wrote.
"This administration and its predecessors have built a drone program that is one of the most devastating driving forces for terrorism and destabilization around the world," they added.
The four are Brandon Bryant, Cian Westmoreland, Stephen Lewis and Michael Haas. Westmoreland was a transmissions expert and the other three controlled powerful sensors on Predator drones.
According to The Guardian, which published interviews with the men on Thursday, the four had 20 years drone operating experience between them.
They told the newspaper that drone operators quickly grow numb to their work and sometimes killed people even if they were unsure whether they were hostile or not.
