US Navy Commits $56M to MQ-4C Triton Retrofit for Just One Drone in a Fleet Cut From 68 to 27

Naval Air Systems Command awarded Northrop Grumman approximately $56 million to install a B7 Retrofit Material Kit on one MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance aircraft. The firm-fixed-price modification was awarded on October 28, with work in Palmdale, San Diego and other US locations scheduled for completion in May 2030. The announcement identifies the individual air vehicle but does not specify the kit’s contents or the configuration it will achieve. The retrofit comes as the Navy’s planned Triton fleet has fallen from 68 to 27 aircraft and operational testing continues to face unresolved signals-intelligence deficiencies.