Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., are asking the Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems segment in Melbourne, Fla., to provide one E-2D full rate production advanced Hawkeye radar surveillance aircraft.
Advanced Hawkeye is the cornerstone of theater air and missile defense architecture in the littorals, overland, and open sea, Northrop Grumman officials say.
It has a two-generation leap in radar sensor capability and network-enabled capability to deliver actionable data to joint forces. The twin-engine carrier-based aircraft has 360-degree radar coverage for all-weather tracking and situational awareness; open-architecture commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based hardware and software; and multimission flexibility ranging from command and control through missile defense to border security.
The aircraft is designed to sweep ahead of strike groups, manage missions, and protect carrier battle groups with expanded battlespace awareness. The E-2D made its first carrier landing in February 2011.
Related: Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye enters full-rate production
Compared to its E-2C predecessor, the E-2D has a new radar with mechanical and electronic scanning; glass cockpit; advanced identification friend or foe system; new mission computer and tactical workstations; electronic support measures enhancements; and modernized communications and data link suite.
Partners to Northrop Grumman on the E-2D radar plane include BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, L3 Communications, and Rolls Royce.
On this contract modification Northrop Grumman will do the work in Melbourne and St. Augustine, Fla.; El Segundo and Menlo Park, Calif.; Rolling Meadows, Ill.; and other locations throughout the U.S., and should be finished by July 2018.
For more information contact Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems online at www.as.northropgrumman.com, or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.
