Flight tracker reveals aircraft without a pilot is heading for Australia: 'So exciting'

The aircraft is being sent from the US and is expected to play a vital role in protecting the country's borders.

Tom Flanagan
·Homepage and Live Editor
·2-min read
The pilotless aircraft is currently en route to Australia. Source: AirNav RadarBox
The pilotless aircraft is currently en route to Australia. Source: AirNav RadarBox

Finding out an aircraft is heading for Australia without a pilot onboard would likely raise alarm bells for most. And that's exactly what's happening right now but for those who've been eagerly awaiting this day, it's an "exciting" moment for Australia.

The aircraft is the first of four MQ-4C Tritons to be sent to Australia from the US. The aircraft, which are controlled remotely and are about the size of a Boeing 737, have been acquired for the Air Force and are set to be a vital tool for Defence to protect our coastline from unauthorised maritime arrivals.

“This will significantly enhance our ability to persistently patrol Australia’s north and north-western approaches; in the south-west Pacific and south to Antarctica," Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Wendy Blyth said in a federal government release this week.

The first aircraft is currently passing over the Pacific Ocean and will touch down in the Northern Territory later on Saturday.

The Triton will land in Australia later on Saturday. Source: Defence
The Triton will land in Australia later on Saturday. Source: Defence

The four aircraft have come at an expensive cost and were part of a $1.5 billion boost to RAAF for maritime surveillance. Critics say the long-range surveillance tool is prone to attacks and may struggle to detect smaller vessels entering Australia.

Their arrival comes at a time where Australia's efforts to control illegal entry into the country remains under the spotlight.

Following the arrival of yet another illegal boat that breached border controls in a remote part of WA, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week sent a “very clear message” that unauthorised arrivals will not be accepted into Australia.

The Triton's arrival will likely help ease concerns about Australia's capabilities to detect unauthorised entry, with the Opposition branding the current efforts "a failure".

“It’s no surprise that people smugglers are testing (the government’s) will," Opposition Home Affairs spokesman James Paterson Home said.

Keirin Joyce, a visiting senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, described Triton's arrival as "so exciting".

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