Engineers found that no failures or unacceptable deformations of the wing occurred when it was subjected to a load at 22 percent above the Navy’s requirement.
“This is a key capability that will allow the aircraft to descend from high altitudes to make positive identification of targets of interest during surveillance missions,” a Northrop Grumman news release said.
The wing will undergo flight tests simulating various fuels loads, and a fatigue test of the entire airframe will begin in 2017, the company said.
The long-endurance Triton will complement Navy P-8 Poseidon manned patrol aircraft. Some 68 aircraft are scheduled to be built.
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