The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) today released the report titled “Audit of the Navy’s Management of the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft Program’s Operational Capabilities.”
The DoD OIG determined that the Navy failed to effectively manage the operational capabilities of the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft program. The Navy declared Initial Operation Capability (IOC) for the MQ-4C Triton, meaning the aircraft was ready for deployment and operational use, before it underwent Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E). The Navy made this declaration despite the MQ-4C system’s deficiencies, which could prevent the aircraft from accomplishing missions. The DoD OIG and the Government Accountability Office have previously reported concerns over a pattern of similar premature IOC declarations.
The Navy awarded a $1.6 billion contract for the MQ-4C Triton program to Northrop Grumman. Additionally, the DoD OIG reported that the Navy has spent approximately $83 million to retrofit two aircraft to the latest version. The Navy will need additional money to correct MQ-4C deficiencies. The Navy has already procured 20 of the total 27 aircraft. Furthermore, the Navy’s legacy airborne signals intelligence (SIGINT) platform was retired without verifying the MQ-4C Triton’s SIGINT capabilities as operationally effective and suitable, leaving the DoD with a potential capability gap.
The DoD OIG recommended that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development, and Acquisition) take corrective actions, including meeting IOT&E entrance criteria, addressing remaining deficiencies, and developing guidance to limit IOC declarations before IOT&E completion. These recommendations aim to strengthen the DoD's overall acquisition system to ensure that it delivers reliable and effective capabilities to the warfighter, on time and within budget. They also help ensure the DoD is maximizing its investment in critical defense technologies.
The DoD OIG will continue monitoring the implementation of the recommendations.