Northrop Grumman has completed a key government-led critical design review for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s Block II upgrade, clearing the way for integration and testing of the programme’s most significant platform upgrade to date.
The company will now begin Block II integration and testing, with the first upgraded aircraft expected to be delivered by the end of the decade.
The upgrade is designed to significantly improve situational awareness and crew efficiency while keeping the E-2D relevant against evolving threats. It uses a modular open systems approach and commercial off-the-shelf products to reduce costs and support long-term fleet sustainment and modernisation.
Northrop Grumman plans to integrate Block II into the E-2D’s active production line for new aircraft while also retrofitting existing fleet aircraft, increasing the capacity to upgrade the fleet.
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is an airborne early warning, command and control platform designed for airborne early warning and battle management missions. Its Block II upgrade includes a comprehensive overhaul of mission-system software and hardware to extend the platform’s operational relevance into the future.
The E-2D programme supports more than 4,000 jobs across 411 companies in 40 US states, contributing to the resilience of the US defence industrial base and domestic manufacturing.
