Posted on 01/08/2016 6:55:00 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Falls Church-based Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE: NOC) is taking its latest model of reconnaissance aircraft global and Japan’s Ministry of Defense will be the first taker.
With the announcement this week that Northrop was going to deliver its E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning platform to Japan under a $286 million contract, the company wasn’t just upgrading a longtime partner’s reconnaissance fleet, but readying itself for further efforts to put this plane in the hands of more international customers.
“E-2D for Japan is huge,†said Jay Mulhall, director of global strategy mission solutions for the E-2 program. “We believe it’s just the beginning of more sales with E-2D around the world.â€
Northrop has been in business with Japan for more than half a century. Japan currently operates 13 E-2C Hawkeyes, the previous generation of carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft. The first delivery will be made in 2018, and while the contract is only for one aircraft, Japan has expressed interest in procuring four.
Northrop hopes it can convince its other E-2C customers to upgrade as well, including Egypt, France and Taiwan. There are about 30 E-2Cs in use between those three customers and Japan.
On the home front, Northrop is under contract with the U.S. Navy to produce 51 E-2Ds. The company delivered the first plane in 2008 and has since delivered a total of 22. The Navy also operates about 70 E-2Cs.
What makes this contract significant is that it was won not just on the global stage, but also in an open competition. When the Navy procured E-2D, it was done on a sole-source basis, meaning this isn’t just the first international sale but the first time this product has been placed head-to-head and prevailed over another model.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense clearly “like what they saw and we believe that other markets will go through a very similar methodical process of establishing requirements and creating a competitive environment where the E2-D will continue to excel," Mulhall said.
As an airborne early warning and command and control aircraft, the E-2D is the first plane to take off from an aircraft carrier. Its responsibility is to paint the full picture of the battlefield and help direct naval fighter planes as they embark on a mission. I’ve had the E-2D described to me as a “digital quarterback.â€
The E-2D has an APY-9 rotating electronic radar that is capable of detecting “any piece of metal on the surface or in the air†out to more than 300 miles, Mulhall said. This allows the E-2D to not only have 360 degree situational awareness, but also allows it to affix the radar's gaze on targets — “stop and stare,†Mulhall said — should it need to focus on a particular and make maneuvers.
The E-2D is also the first airborne platform to employ space-time adaptive processing, which allows for radar to eliminate “clutter†when the signals bounce back to E2-D operators found in the back of the plane.
Additionally, the platform has an identification, friend or foe (IFF) system for air targets — a system also in use on the F-4 Phantom II, the F-35 Lightning II, the E-767 AWACS and the C-130 Hercules. The IFF is used to detect air targets, while its automatic identification system (AIS) that is also equipped to the aircraft detects targets on the ground.
The $286 million contract will cover modifications to the current E-2D setup so it’s more conducive to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. While the current model used by the Navy has a probe for air-to-air refueling, the Japanese model will instead carry additional fuel in the outer panels of the wings. This will help the E-2D carry out missions of between eight and 10 hours.
Very cool aircraft design...I had built a model of the earlier version years ago...always loved building models of Navy aircraft...the paint schemes were a challenge.
Used to tick off the 1st Sgt during dorm inspections...USAF dorm room filled with US Navy airplane models...
When did they move into my home town? I hope they didn't disturb any of the historical stuff.
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