Northrop Grumman (NG) has won a deal worth up to almost $1.2 billion to provide the U.S. Navy with three new airborne early warning aircraft.
Under the terms of the deal, announced by the U.S. Department of War last week, NG will manufacture, deliver and provide support for three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Block II aircraft.
The E-2D Block II is the newest upgrade to the E-2 series, which provides airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) capabilities over sea and land as required. E-2 aircraft have been in service for over 60 years, and as per NG, E-2Ds are already operational in eight U.S. Navy squadrons; the ninth will receive E-2Ds in 2027.
The twin-prop aircraft has a wingspan of almost 25 metres and a 24-foot rotating radar dome, or rotodome, mounted above its fuselage.
Launched and landed via a CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery) system, it provides long-range threat detection, battle management, and command-and-control operations for carrier strike groups.
Its most modern AN/APY-9 radar is capable of continuous 360-degree tracking of over 3,000 targets simultaneously across land and maritime boundaries.
NG stated: “While primarily designed for airborne command and control, the E-2D can support a variety of missions, including defensive and offensive counter-air, integrated air and missile defence, electronic warfare, air traffic control, combat search and rescue, humanitarian relief, border security and counter-drug operations.”
Alongside the United States, other countries operating E-2 aircraft include Japan, which has ordered 18 E-2Ds to complement and/or replace older variants; France, which operates E-2C platforms from aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and has ordered three E-2Ds to replace them; and the armed forces of Egypt, Taiwan, and Mexico.
- You can read more details on the Northrop Grumman website and the U.S. DoW website
