With production coming to an end in four years, the Navy is working out a plan to sustain the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye command-and-control aircraft for at least another 30.
Upgrades include cockpit avionics and enhancements to mission systems, communication capabilities and cybersecurity to keep the “eyes of the fleet” open well into 2040 beyond, according to Capt. Pete Arrobio, who heads the Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office at NAVAIR PMA-231.
The E-2D Hawkeye carrier-based, tactical battle-management, airborne early warning and command-and-control aircraft, is the more modern version of the Northrop Grumman-built E-2C
“Overall, our 2021 focus is to sustain all three type model series with a major focus on improving mission capable and fully mission capable E-2D aircraft,” Arrobio said Aug. 3 at the Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space conference outside Washington, D.C.