Northrop Grumman’s E-2C Hawkeye serves as the US Navy and French Navy’s carrier-capable “mini-AWACS” aircraft. Its primary role is advance warning of incoming aerial threats; ship-based radars are far larger and more powerful, but cannot scan below the angle of the horizon. Secondary roles include strike command and control, land and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, communications relay, and even civil air traffic control during emergencies. E-2C Hawkeyes began replacing previous Hawkeye versions in 1973; they also fly from land bases in the militaries of Egypt, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, and Taiwan; and are flown by the US Naval Reserve in a drug interdiction role. Over 200 Hawkeyes have been produced.

The $17.5 billion E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program aims to build 75 new aircraft with significant radar, engine, and electronics upgrades in order to deal with a world of stealthier cruise missiles, saturation attacks, and a growing need for ground surveillance as well as aerial scans. It looks a lot like the last generation E-2C Hawkeye 2000 upgrade on the outside – but inside, and even outside to some extent, it’s a whole new aircraft.

DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This DID FOCUS Article covers the E-2D program, from the new platform and its capabilities to the budgets, contracts, and companies making it all fly. The latest news involves a $15.6 million Northrop Grumman order to provide Phase I aircraft data management for the E-2D aircraft…

• From E-2A Hawkeye to the E-2D
• E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: Program
• E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings

From E-2A Hawkeye to the E-2D

The Hawkeye is based on the same airframe as the USA’s C-2 Greyhound cargo aircraft, with the obvious addition of the 24 foot diameter, frisbee-shaped, rotating radome on its back. It carries a crew of 5 – pilot, copilot, and 3 mission system operators.

The first E-2A was delivered in 1964, the first E-2B upgrade in 1969, and as noted above, the first true “second generation” E-2C Hawkeye was delivered in 1973. In 1992, an E-2C Block II update program added the AN/APS-145 and L-304 radar systems; improved Rolls Royce T56-A-427 engines; JTIDS, Link-4A, -11, and 16 datalinks; GPS capability; and various avionics, and electronics upgrades. It finished in 2001. By 2003, Hawkeyes were proving their worth over Iraq in a new capacity: close air support. Smithsonian Air & Space magazine’s July 2008 issue discusses:

“The Hawkeye, of course, wasn’t designed for close air support, but time and again during the fighting in the Gulf, ground troops advanced so rapidly that they passed beyond radio contact with the units that were supposed to coordinate close air support for them. Early on in Iraq, E-2s were pressed into a stopgap role as airborne communications relays between ground forces and the U.S. Army’s Air Support Operations Center. But because the battleground was so fluid and so many airplanes had to be re-routed so quickly, Hawkeyes were given more latitude to pair warfighters with targets. “If the Hawkeye hadn’t been there, I think the [Air Support Operations Center] would have failed,” says Lieutenant Commander Brent Trickel, an E-2 naval flight officer who served as the Navy’s only officer in the Air Support Operations Center during the first few weeks of the war.”

Technology moves quickly, however, and technology that was cutting edge in 1992 isn’t so cutting edge any more. A subsequent upgrade called the Hawkeye 2000 (HE2K) added the 8-bladed NP2000 propeller, replaced the old computer platform that was inhibiting further modernization with commercial-standard computer component upgrades; and added associated electronics, power, and maintainability modifications, including integrated satellite communications. All of these upgrades pale, however, in comparison to the effectiveness boost offered by adding Co-operative Engagement Capability (CEC). With CEC, the Hawkeye can see everything the ships in its task group can see – and vice-versa, turning the aircraft into a force multiplier to all ships in the group and even enabling ballistic missile defense roles.

Hawkeye 2000 aircraft were first deployed in 2003 aboard USS Nimitz, and additional customers have included Egypt, France, Japan & Taiwan (The UAE submitted a formal request in 2002, but later decided to put its money elsewhere).

The next-generation, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is planned as a major platform upgrade, rather than the incremental improvements of Hawkeye 2000. Cruise missiles are becoming stealthier, smaller targets are becoming important, and surveillance in coastal areas and overland is as important to the Navy as aerial surveillance.

The most important improvement to the E-2D AHE is the new APY-9 radar, which can detect and track smaller (or stealthier) targets, in larger numbers, and at greater ranges. It has been described as a 2-generation improvement over previous Hawkeye aircraft. Figures discussed to date involve up to 2,000 targets over 6 million cubic miles, on land and sea. The electronically scanned array offers improved in-service time and maintenance, allows simultaneous air/ground scans and extremely fast focusing on multiple targets, and features lower ‘sidelobe’ leakage as well as other improvements. Improved clutter & interference cancellation offers significant improvement in tracking small land and sea targets, as well as better performance against electronic jamming. Additional features allow the radar to flip from 3660 degree scan, to 45 degree focused scan, to full power on one target mode against intermittent or stealthy contacts.

The E-2D actually improves most of the aircraft’s internal equipment. ESM (Electronic Support Measures) and IFF systems offer improved classification of radar contacts at longer ranges. The communications suite is modernized to include dual-band SATCOM (SATellite COMmunications), as well as improved datalinks. Engines are improved. In-flight refueling capability for longer missions on-station is part of the basic aircraft, not an option. Etc.

Like any electronic system, however, the E-2D needs an improved interface in order to take advantage of its full capabilities. New mission computers and tactical workstations use commercial off-the-shelf components, providing more power to integrate incoming information into a coherent picture, and easier future upgrades. More to the point, the onscreen interface features dramatic improvements, including larger displays and advances in the front seats that allow the pilot or copilot to participate as 4th mission system operator once the aircraft is on station. The cockpit itself has also received attention, and has been fully modernized with an “all glass” (i.e. screens, not dials) system and a number of enhancements.

The end result is an aircraft that looks a lot like the E-2C Hawkeye 2000, but can scan larger areas for smaller targets; offers a new dimension in coverage by combining strong aerial, maritime, coastal, and land surveillance; can function as an integral part of missile defense efforts against both cruise and ballistic missiles; and allows operators to make better use of its capabilities.

Advances have also taken place on the manufacturing floor. When Northrop Grumman was awarded the system development and demonstration contract for the Advanced Hawkeye in 2003, the company chose to change its manufacturing approach. Engineers created a virtual design environment that integrated the engineering team in Bethpage, NY with the manufacturing team in St. Augustine, FL. They then began to re-engineer the structure, beginning with single detail parts.

In previous Hawkeye platforms, individual sheet-metal components were the basis for all structural assemblies. For the E-2D, a number of substructures were re-designed as machined components. This eliminates significant numbers of detail parts, improves the production process, and leaves fewer potential points of failure in the finished aircraft.

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: Program

The E-2D program began in 2001, saw the major System Design & Development (SDD) contract issued in 2003, and featured rollout of the first modified aircraft in April 2007. Its first flight is scheduled for summer 2007, and initial operational capability was scheduled for 2011, but may now move to 2012-13. Full Operational Capability is now scheduled for 2022, when a total of 75 aircraft (2 test, 3 pilot production, 70 operational) will have been delivered as the cornerstone of US naval surveillance for the next 25 years.

The first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye development aircraft, known as Delta One, first flew on Aug 3/07. At present, the total program cost has risen 11.2% over the original baseline figure, but the SD&D program is meeting all contract commitments and milestones, and is currently on track for Milestone C in Spring 2009. The next step after Milestone C approval is low-rate initial production of operational aircraft, to join the 2 test aircraft already built and the 3 pilot production aircraft in various stages of manufacture.

The Pentagon’s April 2007 SAR placed the E-2D’s entire program cost, including R&D, production of all aircraft, internal equipment, and equipment required for initial fielding, at $17.487 billion. That works out to $233.1 million per aircraft including amortized costs – in part because the number bought is only 75, and in part because AWACS aircraft of any type are expensive assets thanks to all of the advanced radars, electronics etc. crammed into them.

The US military groups E-2C Hawkeye 2000 and E-2D funds together in its documentation, which makes a program breakout problematic in early years:

• FY 2005: $807.4M ($560.7M RDT&E, $246.7M production, 2 aircraft);
• FY 2006: $891.5M ($619M RDT&E, $272.5M production, 2 aircraft)
• FY 2007: $717.7M ($505.8M RDT&E, $211.9M production, 2 aircraft in last year of E-2C multi-year procurement)
• FY 2008: $838.0M ($785.8M RDT&E, $52.2M for long lead items for the first lot of E-2D Low Rate Initial Production aircraft).
• FY 2009: $867.4M ($482.8 RDT&E, $384.6M procurement). $203.4M cut from production, LRIP-1 cut from 3 aircraft to 2.
• FY 2010 request: $970.8M ($364.6M RDT&E, $602.2M production, 2 aircraft + long-lead for 4 FY 2011 aircraft).

FY 2010 R&D includes testing, replacing communication components, improving operator workstations, incorporating a Multi-level Security Open Architecture, and correction of electronics system obsolescence. That last item is always a hazard for the larger Hawkeye fleet. It can even affect weapons development projects in an era where 5 years is a very long time for electronics, but 10 years is a short time for a major development program.

Key contractors for the E-2D program include:

• Northrop Grumman (Prime Contractor; Radar transmitter via NG Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD; new tactical cockpit from NG Navigation Systems in Woodland Hills, CA)
• BAE Systems in Greenlawn, NY (identification friend-or-foe system)
• L-3 Communications Randtron Antenna Systems in Menlo Park, CA (UHF electronically-scanned array antenna)
• Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems in Syracuse, NY (principal APY-9 radar-system supplier, teamed with NG ES & BAE)
• Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA (radar receiver)
• Rolls Royce (T56-A-427A turboprop engines featuring integrated Propulsion System Control, Monitoring and Maintenance System, an emergency power rating to increase single-engine rate of climb, and a new engine reduction gearbox)
• United Technologies’ subsidiary Hamilton Sundstrand (NP2000 8-bladed propellers)

The US Navy remains the E-2D’s only confirmed customer at this point, but export interest has already been expressed by the UAE and by India.

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: Contracts & Key Events

Unless otherwise specified, the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River, MD manages these contracts, and Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Corp. in Bethpage, NY, is the contractor.

FY 2010

Nov 9/09: A $15.6 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) to provide Phase I aircraft data management for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, as part of the SDD phase. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (71.3%); Grand Rapids, MI (9.3%); Woodland Hills, CA (6%); St. Augustine, FL (5.4%); Cedar Rapids, IA (3%); Norfolk, VA (2.2%); and various other locations within the United States (2.8%), and is expected to be complete in July 2012.

Oct 16/09: Northrop Grumman announces that its Delta One test aircraft successfully completed its first land-based catapult launch tests. Both E-2D System Development and Demonstration (SDD) aircraft, Delta One and Delta Two, are currently undergoing shore-based carrier suitability testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD with the U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20 (VX-20).

Oct 8/09: The US Government’s Voice of America news service reports (Text | Video) that India has ordered the E-2D:

“The latest India-U.S. defense deal is the sale of this Airborne Early Warning Air Craft, Hawkeye E-2D, developed by American arms manufacturer, Northrop Grumman. Woolf Gross, the corporate director at the company, says the reconnaissance plane has yet to be introduced in the U.S. Navy. Its sale to India, he says, is a symbol of how close India/U.S. military relations are. “So they [the Indians] could have advanced Hawkeyes in India about the same time that the U.S. Navy becomes fully operational with the same aircraft,” he explained.”

Direct discussions with Northrop Grumman representatives clarified this stuation. The E-2D was recently approved for export to India, which clears the way for the USN to conduct E-2D technical briefings with India under American arms export laws. To date, however, there is no sale and no contract.

FY 2009

Sept 24/09: A $23 million firm-fixed-price order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00421-05-G-0001) for spares in support of 2 E-2D Lot 1 aircraft. Spares include 2 Quick Engine Change Kits; 2 T-56-A-427A engines; 1 Rotodome; and consumables.

Work will be performed in Indianapolis, IN (30.9%); Bethpage, NY (27.8%); Menlo Park, CA (23.9%); Springville, UT (7.5%); St. Augustine, FL (1.8%); and at various locations within the United States (8.1%), is expected to be complete in May 2013.

Sept 23/09: A $32.3 million firm-fixed-price order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00421-05-G-0001) for various spares in support of two E-2D Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 1 aircraft.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY, (41%); Bethpage, NY (15.6%); Menlo Park, CA (5.7%); Greenlawn, NY, (4.8%); Woodland Hills, CA (4.6%); Irvine, CA (3.3%); Cleveland, OH (3.2%); West Chester, OH (3.2%); Indianapolis, IN (2.9%); Freeport, NY (2%), and at various locations within the United States (13.7%), and is expected to be complete in February 2013.

Sept 13/09: Indian media report that the US government has cleared the E-2D for possible export to India, following the signing of End User Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) protocols in July 2009.

India is the second country after the UAE to be cleared by the US State and Defense Departments for E-2D sales, but a specific Foreign Military Sales contract would require clearances for other systems as well. The report states that initial operations would be shore-based, because even the converted 40,000t Admiral Gorshkov will lack the required catapults. India would be able to receive E-2Ds within 3 years of signing a contract. Hindustan Times.

July 31/09: Northrop Grumman Technical Services Sector in Herndon, VA received a $7 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract (N00421-08-C-0065), exercising an option for approximately 89,886 hours of engineering and logistics services in support of E-2C, C-2A test and E-2D System Design and Development (SDD) aircraft located at the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO ZERO (VX-20) in Patuxent River, MD.

Services will include modification and preparation of the aircraft for test operations, correction of safety of flight discrepancies, quality control inspections, engineering investigations, and logistics and parts support. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, MD, and is expected to be complete in July 2010.

July 7/09: Northrop Grumman begin manufacturing its 6th E-2D Hawkeye, and the 1st Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) aircraft for operational use, with the start of keel assembly at the company’s East Coast Manufacturing and Flight Test Center in St. Augustine, FL. This work is being performed under the June 15/09 contract. NGC release.

July 1/09: A $6.4 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) to buy NP2000-3 Propellar Systems and associated spares for 3 E-2D pilot production aircraft – in other words, 6 of the Hamilton-Sundstrand propellers, plus associated spares. Northrop Grumman receives the contract because they’re the prime integrator.

Work will be performed in Windsor Locks, CT (80%, Hamilton-Sundstrand) and Bethpage, NY (20%, Northrop Grumman), and is expected to be complete in October 2010.

June 15/09: A $360.5 million modification finalizes the previously awarded $20 million April 7/09 contract for 2 Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) E-2D aircraft (N00019-08-C-0027) to a $380.5 million fixed-price-incentive fee contract. In addition, this contract provides long lead materials and related support for the 2 FY 2010 LRIP Lot 2 aircraft.

A subsequent Northrop Grumman release places the contract’s total value at $432 million.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (31.27%); Syracuse, NY (23.57%), various locations within the United States (19.06%); St. Augustine, FL (16.36%); Menlo Park, CA (3.81%); Indianapolis, IN (3.76%); and Rolling Meadows, IL (2.17%), and is expected to be completed in October 2011.

June 10/09: Northrop Grumman announces that an E-2D test aircraft has flown north to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, to begin carrier suitability testing. The bulk of the testing involves catapult and arrested landing structural tests, also called ‘Shake, Rattle, and Roll Tests’, as well as aerodynamic testing for minimum acceptable approach airspeed, and establishing crosswind limits, etc. Logistics, manpower and interoperability compatibility with the carriers are also tested.

June 3/09: The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Integrated Test Team (ITT) – composed of military, civil service and industry personnel from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, prime contractor Northrop Grumman, and other program contractors – has received the Weapons Systems Award from the 75 year old Order of Daedalians. Their award, and its Colonel Franklin C. Wolfe Memorial Trophy, are presented annually for the most outstanding weapons system development in the aerospace environment. Other recent awards for the team include recognition as a model ITT by Vice Adm. David Architzel, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition); the U.S. Navy’s VX-20 Test Team of the Quarter for Q2 2008; he 2008 James S. McDonnell Test Team of the Year from the Society of Experimental Flight Test Engineers; and the 2007 Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Test Team of the Year.

The NGC corporate release identifies the Navy’s current Advanced Hawkeye program manager, Capt. Shane Gahagan; Northrop Grumman’s Jim Culmo, as VP of Airborne Early Warning and Battle Management Command Control Programs for its Aerospace Systems sector; and Marty McCord, as Northrop Grumman’s Contractor Flight Test Director.

May 13/09: Northrop Grumman announces that the E-2D program recently reached its 1,000th hour of flight testing at Northrop Grumman’s East Coast Manufacturing and Flight Test Center. The release adds that the aircraft “continues to successfully meet, or exceed, all major program and performance milestones…. E-2D pilot production continues ahead of schedule on the first three aircraft, and radar long-range detection performance is exceeding expectations.” The E-2D will fly to NAS Patuxent River later in 2009, for the carrier suitability testing phase.

April 30/09: A $12.7 million modification to a previously awarded cost plus incentive fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057). They will provide integrated logistics services for E-2D Pilot Production aircraft, as part of the SDD phase. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (91%) and at various locations throughout the United States (8%), and is expected to be complete in September 2011.

April 7/09: A not-to-exceed $20 million modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-08-C-0027), buying long lead-time materials and support for the 2 E-2Ds that will be built under LRIP Lot 1.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (32.6%), various locations within the United States (23.7%); Bethpage, NY (15.5%); Dallas, TX (12.4%); Menlo Park, CA (9.8%); and Woodland Hills, CA (6%), and is expected to be complete in August 2011.

March 31/09: The US GAO audit office delivers its 7th annual “Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs report. The E-2D is included among the 47 programs reviewed. Total program cost growth is under 10%, with just 5.8% cost growth during the R&D phase. Overall, the reports rates all 4 of the E-2D AHE’s critical technologies as mature, and the E-2D AHE design as stable. That’s an uncommon combination among similar stage programs, and the cost and schedule figures mark the E-2D as a successful acquisition program. They added that:

“In early flight testing, the program experienced problems with the high power circulators, hydraulic lines, antenna power amplifier modules, and inclement weather, which has resulted in a 4 to 6 month delay in the program’s flight testing schedule…. The program is taking a series of steps to address flight testing delays [but] completing flight testing according to its original schedule may not be feasible. According to program officials, the program will experience additional delays due to budget cuts…. likely that the budget cuts will impede the program’s ability to meet its planned initial operational capability date due to the reduced number of aircraft available to perform pilot and maintenance training operations to prepare for initial deployment. Program officials estimate this reduction in two aircraft will cause a 12 to 24 month delay in initial operating capability and a 20 percent increase in the aircraft’s unit cost.”

March 2/09: GE Aviation Systems, LLC in Grand Rapids, MI received a $12.1 million ceiling-priced indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for aircraft recorders. The order includes 27 Crash Survivable Memory Units (CSMU) for the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotors; 120 Crash Survivable Flight Information Recorder (CSFIR) Voice and Data Recorders (VADRs) for the E-2D Hawkeye AWACS plane; and 2 CSFIR Integrated Data Acquisition and Recorder Systems for T-6A trainer aircraft. In addition, this contract provides for CSFIR supply system spares; engineering and product support; CSFIR and CSMU hardware; software upgrades, repairs, and modifications for CSFIR/Structural Flight Recording Set (SFRS) common ground station software.

Work will be performed in Grand Rapids, MI, and is expected to be complete in March 2010. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-09-D-0017).

Feb 6/09: With a new administration in place and the “economic stimulus” package pending in Congress, Northrop Grumman and local leaders step up lobbying for restoration of the FY 2009 budget’s $203.4 million cut to production procurement for the E-2D (see October 2008 entry, and related materials). Tom Vice, sector vice president for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector, says that the firm has the the manufacturing capacity to accommodate up to 10 E-2Ds per year.

Program Manager Jim Culmo, Northrop Grumman’s vice president of Airborne Early Warning and Battle Management Command and Control Programs, believes that there’s a key industrial base issue. The last E-2C will be delivered in 2009, leaving the E-2D program as the sole support. As a result:

“We have major concerns about the jobs impact and here’s why. Northrop Grumman and its 280 suppliers will make their final E-2C Hawkeye deliveries this year, as well as transfer our two SD&D aircraft to Patuxent River Naval Air Station. During this critical transition to LRIP, a reduction in the number of aircraft the Navy had planned to produce has dramatic consequences. This will increase the unit cost to the Navy by approximately 20 percent [for the 2 aircraft ordered]. It will mean a loss of 350 jobs across our supplier base in 38 U.S. states beginning in the first quarter of 2009. This loss will erode the highly skilled workforce, particularly in the state of Florida, that has been dedicated to this program for decades…. Getting these critical skills back once they are gone is going to be extremely challenging.”

There’s also a timeline issue, as delays at this juncture are expected to push back the E-2D’s Initial Operating Capability to 2012-13. Arguments are being made that this might also have an effect on foreign sales, but E-2C+ Hawkeye 2000s would be a viable offering if the timing was that critical to the buyer. See: NGC release | Florida Times-Union | Reuters | Aviation Week | St. Augustine Record op-ed.

Nov 13/08: Northrop Grumman announces that its E-2D has completed operational assessment (OA) after more than 600 flight hours, over half involving in-flight radar testing. OA testing involves the performance of the platform in an environment that resembles actual missions. The firm had set a date for OA completion 5 years ago, and met it on schedule with 92% aircraft availability, all test objectives executed, and no major system failures. The OA report is due in December 2008, and the firm has been given a green rating on production readiness; a “Milestone C” decision on low-rate initial production is due in 2009.

NGC’s corporate release notes that the E-2D has been recognized for its program performance with numerous industry awards in 2008. They include Aviation Week’s Military Laureate Award and its Program Excellence Achievement Award; the Society of Experimental Test Pilots Leroy Grumman Award; and NAVAIR Commander’s Award for Program Management.

October 2008: the FY 2009 defense budget is passed, with a cut of $165.5 million from the request for Low-Rate Initial Production Lot 1 (3 planes to 2, aircraft deferred until 2022), and $37.9 million from long lead-time item buys for FY 2010 LRIP-2, for a total of $203.4 million. The timing of the cut will delay the E-2D’s expected Initial Operational Capability by 12-18 months, to 2012-13.

Because the underlying infrastructure fixed costs don’t change, and E-2C production is ending and cannot absorb any slack, the changes caused an approximate 20% jump in cost per aircraft in FY 2009, a 12.5% jump in FY 2010, and increase other costs by lengthening total production time and incurring more fixed costs for infrastructure, labor, etc. to produce the same number of machines.

FY 2008

Sept 26/08: A $10.7 million modification to a previously awarded cost plus incentive fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for procurement of Aircraft Change Directives in support of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) Pilot Production Aircraft, under the E-2D AHE System Development and Demonstration Program. Work will be performed in Bethpage, N.Y., (71.2 percent); and St. Augustine, Fla., (28.8 percent) and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Sept 23/08: A $6.2 million modification to a previously awarded cost plus incentive fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) covers support equipment for the 3 Lot 1 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (69.1%); Menlo Park, CA (5.7%); New Port Richey, FL (5.3%) Islip, NY (3.2%); Dover, NJ (3.1%); Holbrook, NY (2.2%); and other various locations within the United States (11.4%), and is expected to be complete in June 2011.

Sept 22/08: A $12 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus incentive fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for engineering efforts associated with the manufacture and initial fitting of the Lot 1 E-2D Hawkeyes’ T-56-A-427A engines. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, IN (87%) and Bethpage, NY (13%), and is expected to be complete in Sept 2010.

Sept 10/08: The US Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Approves the FY 2009 Defense Appropriations Bill. Their release and summary [PDF] includes “Funds procurement of 2 E-2D aircraft, a deferral of 1 aircraft.” The aircraft’s radar testing issues are cited as the reason. That approach is accepted in the final, reconciled House/Senate budget.

July 30/08: Northrop Grumman Technical Services Sector in Herndon, VA received a sole-source $6.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract for approximately 89,886 hours of engineering and logistics services in support of E-2C, C-2A test and E-2D System Design and Development (SDD) aircraft located at the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO ZERO (VX-20) in Patuxent River, MD.

Services to be provided include modification and preparation of the aircraft for test operations, correct safety of flight discrepancies, quality control inspections, engineering investigations, and logistics and parts support. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, MD and the contract will end in July 2009. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract (N00421-08-C-0065).

July 2008: Radar flight testing resumes for the E-2D, with no subsequent problems reported.

June 27/08: A $36.3 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for T-56-A-427A engines and spares in support of the 3 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft. NGC is listed as the contractor, even though they’re Rolls Royce engines, because NGC is the prime contractor and hence responsible for integration et. al.

Work will be performed in Indianapolis, IN (82%) and Bethpage, NY (18%), and is expected to be complete in September 2010.

June 25/08: A $20.5 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) covering spare parts the for 3 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft of Lot 1.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (52.02%); Bethpage, NY (19.49%); Woodlawn, CA (5.82%); Greenlawn, NY (5.60%); Springville, UT (2.90%); Cincinnati, OH (2.14%); Ronkonkoma, NY (2.06%); and at various locations within the United States (9.97%), and is expected to be complete in Sep. 2010.

June 24/08: A $9.4 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for non-recurring engineering efforts involved in the production of required subsystems and components for the Lot 1 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot production Aircraft.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (28.23%); Torrance, CA (14.47%); Dallas, TX (10.80%); Pomezia, Italy (8.74%); Cleveland, OH (8.36%); New Port Richey, FL (8.13%), Owega, NY (6.71%); Freeport, NY (3. 20%) and various locations within the USA (11.54%), and is expected to be complete in Sep. 2010.

June 4/08: A $9.1 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for Electro Magnetic Interference Reduction System Process Hardware for E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft; 1 Lot (3 subsystems). Work will be performed in Syracuse, N.Y. (90.9%) and Bethpage, N.Y. (9.10%), and is expected to be completed in April 2010.

As noted above, “improved clutter & interference cancellation offers significant improvement in tracking small land and sea targets, as well as better performance against electronic jamming.” It’s also very helpful if an aircraft wishes to collect enemy signals while operating a powerful radar.

April 10/08: An $11.7 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for one-time engineering efforts centered around replacing the E-2D’s halon system. Halon is an inert gas used to put out fires by depriving them of burnable atmosphere. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY, (87.3%) and St. Augustine, FL (12.7%) and is expected to be complete in Sept 2011.

March 2008: The E-2D program experiences issues as a result of the new radar’s high power requirements. The “high power circulators” that transfer power from the radar amplifiers to the rotodome antenna were initially unable to handle the power levels required by the new radar.

Design changes, and material changes that changed the insulating material in the antenna, are made. General flight testing continues throughout, but radar flight testing is suspended.

Feb 6/08: A $12 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for recently-specified changes to the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye design during the Development and Demonstration Program. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (79.6%) and St. Augustine, FL (20.4%) and is expected to be complete in June 2008.

Dec 26/07: A $50.4 million not-to-exceed advance acquisition contract for long lead material and support for 3 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye low rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 1 aircraft.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (32.6%), various locations within the United States (23.7%); Bethpage, NY (15.5%); Dallas, TX (12.4%); Menlo Park, CA (9.8%); and Woodland Hills, CA (6%), and is expected to be complete in August 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity (N00019-08-C-0027).

Dec 19/07: A $22.4 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for cooperative engagement capability developmental efforts in support of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye System Development and Demonstration Program. Work will be performed in Bethpage, N.Y., (92.6%) and St. Augustine, FL (7.4%) and is expected to be completed in July 2009.

CEC allows the Hawkeye to share both a joint battle picture and targeting data with fleet ships, other surveillance aircraft, and even land-based missile units. Like the CEC-equipped E-2C Hawkeye 2000, the E-2D will have targeting capability, and becomes a potential node for ballistic missile defense.

Dec 17/07: According to a report in the forthcoming issue of India Strategic defense magazine, the Indian Navy had issued an request for information for the E-2D Hawkeye to the U.S. government. The report said Washington has confirmed India’s interest and said that “as and when a formal request is received from New Delhi, the answer should be positive.” Note also DID’s February 2006 report that Northrop Grumman was working to integrate HAL into its E-2 Hawkeye AWACS program supply chain by way of sourcing aircraft assemblies and components, digitization and other related services

The Indian Navy reportedly wanted their aircraft to be capable of staying in the air for 8 hours instead of 6, and modifications such as “wet” (fuel carrying) wings and the plane’s existing aerial refueling capability are reportedly set to address this. Times of India.

Nov 29/07: Delta Two, the 2nd E-2D Advanced Hawkeye development aircraft, completes its first flight from NGC’s St. Augustine, FL manufacturing and flight test center in just over 2 hours, followed by a second flight on Dec 4/07. During the flights, the team conducted a series of air vehicle tests to evaluate airplane flying qualities, engine response, and cockpit instruments. Chief test pilot Mike Holton later said in Northrop Grumman’s release that:

“Our go-forward plan is to fly another flight to check out engine air start capability, and high angle of attack flying qualities, and then we will complete the installation of the weapon system. Once the weapon system is in, we will fly approximately 200 flights to evaluate the new radar. And just like Delta One, which flew its first flight on Aug. 3, Delta Two flew just like an E-2C.”

FY 2007

Sept 26/07: A $14.5 million cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for non-recurring efforts to prepare for E-2D Advanced Hawkeye production at NGC and its suppliers. Work will be performed in Syracuse, NY (56.42%); Menlo Park, CA (23.25%); various locations across the United States, (11.23%); and Bethpage, NY (9.1%) and is expected to be complete in December 2008.

Sept 26/07: A $10 million cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for the procurement of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Prime Mission Equipment for E-2D Trainer requirements.

Work will be performed in Marlborough, MA (39%); Woodland Hills, CA (36.7%); Owego, NY (12%); Bethpage, NY (9.7%); Baltimore, MD (1.6%); and Sylmar, CA (1%) and is expected to be complete in July 2009.

Aug 3/07: The first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye development aircraft, known as Delta One, completes its first flight at St. Augustine, FL. Northrop Grumman Flight Test Pilot Tom Boutin and U.S. Navy Flight Test Pilot Lt. Drew Ballinger along with Northrop Grumman Flight Test Lead Weapon Systems Operator Zyad Hajo lifted off shortly before 11 a.m. and flew for approximately 1.3 hours. NGC release.

July 9/07: A $408 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) for 3 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye pilot production aircraft. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (26.5%); at various locations across the United States (25.88%); Syracuse, NY (23.57%); St. Augustine, FL (18.63%); and Menlo Park, CA (5.42%) and is expected to be complete in August 2010. See also Northrop Grumman release.

April 30/07: The first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye makes its first public appearance at a rollout ceremony in St. Augustine, FL. NGC release.

April 9/07: The Pentagon’s periodic Selective Acquisition Report updates us re: cost growth in the E-2D program. Full weapons program costs increased from $15,721.5 million to $17,487.0 million (up $1.76 billion/ 11.2%), due primarily to higher Mission Electronics, general procurement, and mission systems pricing (+$653.7 million), buying fewer aircraft per year over a longer period from FY 2009-2020 (+$374.8 million), and additional pilot production funding (+$169.0 million). There were also increases for the addition of the automatic identification system, dual transit satellite communication, and in-flight refueling requirements (+$137.1 million), a revised estimate to reflect new pricing for the system development and demonstration contract (+$234.3 million), and increases in initial spares, peculiar support equipment and training, and other production support costs (+$159.1 million).

At this estimate, each E-2D aircraft will cost $233.1 million when all R&D, pilot production, equipment, and initial support funds are factored in and amortized.

Nov 13-15/06: Northrop Grumman Corporation hosts the 5th annual International Hawkeye Users Conference at its manufacturing center in St. Augustine, FL. Every year, the company brings together members of the air forces and navies of Egypt, France, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Singapore and the United States to share lessons-learned and to learn about new capabilities and improvements planned for the world’s E-2 fleet. The NGC release adds that “together, these nations operate over 100 E-2C Hawkeyes….”

FY 2006 and earlier

July 17/06: Northrop Grumman announces that it has mated the major sub-assemblies of the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye test aircraft into a single fuselage structure at its St. Augustine, FL manufacturing center. NGC release.

Nov 17/05: Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Navy announce a successful E-2D critical design review (CDR). All the team’s basic designs, including the new radar, mission computer and workstations had been improved and vetted, and Northrop Grumman can now complete production of the 2 test aircraft to fulfill the SDD phase requirements. NGC release.

July 20/05: A $22.6 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) to design, develop, fabricate, assemble, integrate, furnish, manage, test and evaluate an On-Board Oxygen Generating System for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed in Bethpage, N.Y. (93.8%) and Davenport, Iowa, (6.2%), and is expected to be completed in December 2012.

March 29/04: A $63.7 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00019-03-C-0057) exercises an option for a Propulsion System Control Monitoring and Maintenance System (PSCMMS) for the E-2 Advanced Hawkeye (AHE). Specifically, the contractor will design, develop, fabricate, assemble, integrate, furnish, manage, test, evaluate and support a PSCMMS as part of the E-2 AHE System Development and Demonstration (SD&D) effort.

Work will be performed in Indianapolis, IN (52.61%); Bethpage, N.Y. (41.08%); Windsor Locks, CT (3.92%); and Irvine, CA (2.39%), and is expected to be completed in May 2011.

Aug 11/03: A $1.932 billion cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the E-2 Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) system development and demonstration (SDD) phase, which will consist of modifying two E-2 Hawkeye 2000 aircraft to the E-2 AHE configuration. The contractor will design, develop, fabricate, assemble, integrate, furnish, manage, test, evaluate and support the software, hardware and engineering associated with the SDD phase.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, N.Y. (55.39%); at various locations across the United States (20.75%); Syracuse, N.Y. (13.91%); Baltimore, MD (4.98%); Menlo Park, CA (3.22%); and El Segundo, CA (1.75%), and is expected to be complete in December 2012. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-03-C-0057).

Additional Readings

• Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems – E-2D Advanced Hawkeye

• Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems – E-2C Hawkeye 2000

• Naval Technology – E-2C Hawkeye – Airborne Early Warning Aircraft, USA

• NDIA National Defense Magazine (July 2009) – Navy Awaits Arrival of Powerful New Radar-Equipped Aircraft

• Smithsonian Air & Space (July 2008) – Detect and Direct: The Navy’s newest Hawkeye gets closer to the fight.