
PATUXENT RIVER, Md.--The Navy may decrease the number of Northrop Grumman [NOC]-built MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft it plans to buy because they have proven to be more reliable than expected and fewer may be needed to meet operational requirements, the service’s program manager for Tritons said Tuesday. The Navy currently intends to buy 68 of the Tritons, a derivative of the Air Force’s Global Hawk, to support an operational requirement of five “orbits” of four aircraft--for a total of 20.…