VUP-19
Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 is an unmanned patrol squadron of the United States Navy, nicknamed the "Big Red" and established on 1 October 2013.Operational history
On 7 February 2013 the Navy announced that it would stand up VUP-19 at NAS Jacksonville, Florida, in Fiscal Year 2014 to eventually operate the MQ-4C Triton. A detachment of VUP-19 would also be established at NAS Point Mugu, California.
VUP-19 falls under the administrative control of Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11 at NAS Jacksonville, where an MQ-4C mission control facility was constructed and to operate the Triton on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Southwest Asia/Middle East/East Africa region, the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic, the U.S. 7th Fleet in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, and U.S. Fleet Forces Command in western Atlantic operations.
The Navy originally planned to activate a second Triton squadron, VUP-11, in 2014 to take over operations in the Pacific in support of U.S. 7th Fleet and share U.S. 5th Fleet operations with VUP-19, but this has been delayed pending VUP-19 attaining initial operational capability. As of June 2018, VUP-19 has attained Early Operational Capability.
On June 27, 2018, VUP-19 launched its first Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton at Naval Base Ventura County. VUP-19 currently has two Tritons assigned to it, #168461 and #168460.
