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Sailors test the propellers of an E-2D Hawkeye before a flight in accordance with preflight checks, California, 29 July 2019. Credit: DVIDS.
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has released a contract modification award worth nearly $1.5bn to Northrop Grumman on 19 July 2024, in which it requested nine E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEWAC) aircraft.
Under the new modification, the US Navy (USN) and Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) will increase their existing Hawkeye units by four and five aircraft respectively. As part of the deal, the Japanese Government will allocate $766.64m (Y120bn) in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) funds.
The AEWAC provides a picture of any potential threats to a naval task force from an altitude of up to 25,000 feet. E-2D also provides threat identification and positional data to accompanying fighter aircraft.
Other roles include command and control, surveillance, guiding search and rescue missions and as a relay to extend the range of communications.
Notably, the Advanced Hawkeye differs from its predecessor, the original E-2C, as it uses a new radar system, missile defence capabilities, multi-sensor integration and a tactical glass cockpit.
Currently, the USN operate 97 E-2Ds acquired between 2012 and 2023, while the JASDF employs five of them, procured between 2019 and 2020, according to GlobalData intelligence.
첫댓글 처음엔 "Mig-25쇼크"에 대한 긴급대응이라고 쳐도... 나중에 E-767 들였고 뒤에도 체공시간과 고도면에서 훨씬 나은 플랫폼이 많아졌는데, E-2C를 굳이 E-2D로 1:1 대체하여 규모를 유지하려는 이유가 뭘지 흥미롭네요. 함상운용을 대비할 것도 아닌데... 개인적으론 우리야말로 성능에서 좀 손해를 보더라도 엄체호에 넣을 수 있는 지원기 플랫폼을 고민해야 하지 않나 싶습니다.
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