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E-2 Hawkeye (Walk Around 53) By Ken Neubeck

The E-2 Hawkeye is the first U.S. Navy aircraft that is carrier-based and designed from the outset to fill the all-weather airborne early warning mission; it continues this mission to the present through periodic modifications. With the improvements of airborne radar design during the 1950s, the concept of an early warning and command and control aircraft developed. The Grumman E-l Tracer, a variant of the anti-submarine aircraft Grumman S-2 Tracker, first performed this mission and was designed with a large fixed dome structure housing the radar antennas. The E-l performed this mission up to 1964 when it was succeeded by the new E-2 Hawkeye design built by Grumman at its Bethpage facility in Long Island, New York, and later at its Calverton, Long Island, facility.

The E-2 is a twin-engine, high-winged aircraft with target-tracking antennas contained inside a 24-foot rotating dome situated above the aircraft. In 1967, the first of 59 E-2A models were delivered to the Navy, but with new technology leading to new computers, most of these would be upgraded to the new E-2B standard. Shortly after the E-2B upgrade, Grumman began production of the new E-2C model that included significant improvements to the avionics and the inclusion of more powerful engines. Since the introduction of the E-2C model in 1972, there have been five major modifications of this model up to now involving upgrades to the radar, new engines, new computers, and other modifications, including the introduction of a new propeller design. Active-service E-2C fleet size runs about 63 aircraft.

The E-2C has been an important aircraft during a number of conflicts involving the United States during the past three decades. It had its combat debut in the Vietnam War. E-2C aircraft provided surveillance support during joint strike attacks against terrorist-related targets in Libya in 1986. During Operation Desert Storm, the aircraft provided command and control support for carrier-based fighter aircraft against enemy aircraft. The aircraft has provided similar support during the recent conflicts in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

In addition to war service, the versatile E-2C has been used by the U.S. Coast Guard in patrolling the U.S. coasts as well working with U.S. law enforcement agencies in drug traffic interdiction. In addition, the E-2C has been exported to several countries worldwide, including Egypt, France, Japan, Israel, Mexico, Singapore, and Taiwan.

The E-2C is capable of detecting targets anywhere within a 3 miilion-cubic-mile surveillance envelope while simultaneously monitoring maritime traffic. The aircraft is capable of tracking more than 600 targets and controlling more than 40 airborne intercepts.

A new version of the Hawkeye, with the designation E-2D, is in prototype with full production to begin in 2010 at the Northrop Grumman facility in St. Augustine, Florida, ensuring that the Hawkeye will be in service for many years to come.

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