The Department of Defence headquarters has an unusual guest.
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A lifesize replica of the Triton Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is being displayed on the grass courtyard outside the Russell offices until April 4.
The drone has been brought to Canberra in a joint effort by the RAAF and the creators of the drone, Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman's chief executive Ian Irving said "we wanted to bring the replica to Canberra so people could see the scale of the aircraft".
"It’s an opportunity for staff at the Department of Defence and the public to understand what the aircraft can really do,” he said.
“We’ve got it there until Thursday next week and then we’ll be packing it up and sending it to an airshow demonstration in the UK."
The Abbott government has committed to acquiring the drone subject to the completion of a US Navy deployment program currently underway.
A statement released by the Prime Minister on March 13 stated the government's intention to use the drones to patrol Australia's oceans and to enhance border protection operations and the securing of ocean resources.
