Navy orders 25 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft

The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $3.6 billion contract to deliver 25 new E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, bringing the total number of aircraft on contract to 50.

Developed and produced by Northrop Grumman, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is the world's only aircraft specifically designed as a carrier-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system. With its structurally distinctive design - a rotating rotodome and four vertical stabilizer tail configuration - the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye provides unprecedented, 360-degree surveillance to the warfighter.

As the only Department of Defense designed, tested and in-production AEW&C platform, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye has undergone a significant transformation from previous E-2 models, resulting in revolutionary capabilities. This includes the new, more powerful AN/APY-9 radar system, exclusive to the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, which represents a two-generational leap in radar technology and allows the warfighter to "see" a greater number of targets at much greater distances - as well as new avionics and a glass cockpit.

"A multiyear procurement of these additional E-2Ds will take advantage of efficient, stable production lines at both Northrop Grumman and our suppliers, and will generate significant cost savings for taxpayers and the Navy," said Bart LaGrone, vice president, E-2/C-2 Programs, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

The Northrop Grumman-led supplier team - "Team Hawkeye" - brings together the best in industry. Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems, Syracuse, N.Y., serves as the principal AN/APY-9 radar system supplier and is teamed with Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Baltimore, and Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif. Rolls-Royce (Indianapolis, Ind.) provides the T-56-A engines while BAE Systems, Greenlawn, N.Y., is responsible for the identification friend or foe system and L-3 Communications Randtron Antenna Systems, Menlo Park, Calif., developed the ultra-high frequency electronically scanned array antenna.

"Since the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye delivery in 2007, every aircraft has been delivered on schedule and on budget," LaGrone said.

The Navy's E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program of record is for 75 aircraft, of which Northrop Grumman has already delivered 13 production aircraft.

The Navy is confident the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will attain initial operational capability later this year.