An E-2D Hawkeye conducts a maritime surveillance flight during Rim of the Pacific 2022. Credit: DVIDS.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has issued two contract modifications on 13 August 2025 related to the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.

The 18-year old platform is expected to continue intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for the US Navy after the fiscal year 2026 budget proposal recommended cancelling Boeing’s next-generation E-7 Wedgetail due to excessive delay and costs in delivery.

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Production and delivery assessment

The Wedgetail is a highly capable, more advanced AEW&C aircraft, with a greater radar range than the E-2D, yet its procurement is stumping the UK Royal Air Force, whose programme is at risk of creeping beyond the expected in-service date.

Contrary to this, the E-2D is said to have an exemplary delivery history. Production of three French units began in December 2024 and the service expects delivery in 2027. It is also worth noting that France’s aircraft will come in a unique configuration, which will extend the delivery time beyond the conventional variant.

The timeline for global users – France, Japan, and Taiwan – may be subject to change since the US Navy’s E-7 cancellation may have to make room for more modern E-2Ds in its own fleet, however, this has yet to be confirmed.

In June, a Northrop Grumman official confirmed that the latest Block II E-2D Advanced Hawkeye – which comprises a modular open systems approach and artificial intelligence driven decision-making – will not be fielded for another couple of years.

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Repairs and training upgrades

The DoD will utilise space-based surveillance technologies alongside the revamped E-2Ds.

Looking ahead, the government has committed $59m to depot repair of the T56-A-427A engines, torque metre, gearbox, and other unspecified E-2D accessories.

Seperately, another modification will provide $16m to add extensive scope to the production and testing of the Special Programs Advanced Readiness Trainer Afloat/Ashore (SPARTA) 12. This deployable simulation system allows E-2D aircrews to train in various locations at sea and on shore.

The modficiation will provide updates and compliance of SPARTA 12 as well as SPARTA Joint Simulation Environment/Global Reuseable Interface Domain.

Furthermore, the deal will exercise options for Simulated Maintenance Trainer 2 (SMT-2) Delta Software System Configuration 5 (DSSC-5) concurrency.

Finally, the modification will also produce and deliver six flight aircraft flight management computer functional equivalent units.

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