Grumman E-2 Hawkeye

Summary

Category	Other aircraft
Origin country	🇺🇸 United States
First flight	21 October 1960
Year of introduction	1964
Number produced	313 units
Average unit price	$80 million

Description

The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye was conceived in the late 1950s as a replacement for the piston-engined E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete. In March 1957, the U.S. Navy selected a Grumman design for an airborne early warning aircraft capable of integrating its data into the Naval Tactical Data System. Initially designated W2F-1, later redesignated E-2A Hawkeye, it was the first carrier plane designed from the outset as an AEW and command and control platform. Design engineers at Grumman faced challenges, including restrictions related to operating from older, modified Essex-class aircraft carriers. The first prototype flew on 21 October 1960, with the first fully equipped aircraft following on 19 April 1961, entering service as the E-2A in January 1964. By 1965, development issues, particularly with inadequate cooling for the avionics, led to the project's cancellation after 59 aircraft were built, though Grumman and the US Navy then collaborated to improve the design, resulting in the upgraded E-2B variant.

The E-2 is a high-wing airplane, equipped with two Allison T56 turboprop engines, each rated at 5250 shp, and retractable tricycle landing gear. As a CATOBAR carrier-borne aircraft, it features a tail hook for recovery and a nose gear capable of attaching to an aircraft carrier's catapults for launch. A distinguishing feature of the Hawkeye is its 24-foot diameter rotating radar dome (rotodome) mounted above its fuselage and wings, housing the antennas for its long-range radar and IFF systems. The adoption of a modern version of the Grumman Sto-Wing folding wing system prevents the folded wing panels from contacting the rotodome. The aircraft is operated by a crew of five, including a pilot and co-pilot on the flight deck, and a combat information center officer, air control officer, and radar operator stationed in the rear fuselage directly beneath the rotodome. The E-2C and E-2D variants utilize advanced electronic sensors and digital computer signal processing, particularly in their radars, for early warning of enemy aircraft and anti-ship missile attacks, and controlling the carrier's combat air patrol fighters, as well as surveillance of the surrounding sea and land for enemy warships and missile launchers.

The E-2 Hawkeye is not primarily designed for offensive armament. Its main role is airborne early warning and control, which focuses on surveillance, detection, and communication rather than direct combat engagement. Therefore, it does not typically carry air-to-air or air-to-ground missiles or bombs. The E-2's primary payload consists of its advanced radar systems and electronic equipment housed within the distinctive rotodome. These systems, such as the AN/APS-145 radar on the E-2C or the AN/APY-9 radar on the E-2D, are used for detecting and tracking airborne and surface targets. The aircraft's internal configuration includes stations for the crew members who operate these systems and manage the flow of information. Any external stores would interfere with the primary radar mission.

The E-2A entered U.S. Navy service in January 1964, with its first deployment aboard the USS Kitty Hawk in 1965, and since then, the E-2 has served around the world, acting as the electronic "eyes of the fleet" in combat zones such as the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War, providing command and control for both aerial warfare and land-attack missions. In August 1981, an E-2 directed two F-14 Tomcats in the Gulf of Sidra, resulting in the downing of two Libyan Su-22s, and in 1986, E-2s aboard the USS America directed F-14 fighters during Operation El Dorado Canyon. The E-2 Hawkeye also supported U.S. Coast Guard and Customs Service anti-drug operations, although a fatal mishap in 1990 led to the Coast Guard discontinuing its use. E-2C Hawkeye squadrons played a crucial role in air operations during Operation Desert Storm, providing air control direction that led to the shootdown of two Iraqi MiG-21s. Until 2005, the US Navy Hawkeyes were organized into East and West coast wings, but the East coast wing was disestablished, and all aircraft were organized into a single wing based at Point Mugu, California; a reserve squadron was decommissioned in 2013. Egypt purchased five E-2C Hawkeyes, which entered service in 1987 and were upgraded to Hawkeye 2000 standard, using the aircraft in a bombing operation against ISIL in Libya in 2015. The French Naval Aviation operates three E-2C Hawkeyes and has been the only operator of the E-2 Hawkeye from an aircraft carrier besides the U.S. Navy, taking part in operations in Afghanistan and Libya. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force bought thirteen E-2C aircraft, and later the E-2D version to improve its early warning capabilities. The Mexican Navy used three former Israeli Air Force E-2C aircraft to perform maritime and shore surveillance missions. The Republic of Singapore Air Force acquired four E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft in 1987, but the E-2C Hawkeyes were replaced with four Gulfstream G550s which would become the primary early warning aircraft of the Singapore Air Force. Israel was the first export customer, operating four E-2s for its homeland AEW protection, during which they won a resounding victory over Syrian air defenses and fighter control during the 1982 Lebanon War. Taiwan acquired four E-2T aircraft which were upgraded to E-2K standard.

Main Variants:

E-2A: The initial production version of the Hawkeye, entering US Navy service in 1964, was designed as an AEW and command and control airplane.
E-2B: An upgraded version of the E-2A, it featured improved computing capabilities and enlarged outer fins, enhancing its operational reliability.
E-2C: This variant introduced all-new electronics, surveillance radar, and search radar, significantly enhancing its early warning capabilities, with later "plus-models" featuring upgraded turboprop engines.
E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: The latest version includes a new avionics suite, improved engines, a glass cockpit, and potential for air-to-air refueling, greatly expanding its operational capabilities and mission endurance.
E-2T/K: These are E-2C variants specifically for Taiwan, incorporating components from retired E-2Bs but featuring the same level of electronics as the E-2C Group II Hawkeyes, with later upgrades bringing them to Hawkeye 2000 standards.

Technical specifications

Version: E-2C
Crew	5 members
Operational range	2480 km (1541 mi)
Maximum speed	648 km/h (403 mph)
Wing area	65 m² (699.7 sqft)
Wingspan	24.6 m (80.6 ft)
Height	5.6 m (18.3 ft)
Length	17.6 m (57.7 ft)
Service ceiling	10577 m (34701 ft)
Empty weight	19536 kg (43069 lbs)
Max. takeoff weight	57500 kg (126766 lbs)
Climb rate	13.0 m/s (42.7 ft/s)
Powerplant	2 × turboprops Rolls-Royce T56-A-427A delivering 3803 kW