Northrop Wins $1.4Bn for 9 Additional E-2D Aircraft for Japan

Northrop Grumman has won a $1.36 billion modification contract for the production and delivery of nine Japan configuration E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Act.

“This modification is for non-recurring and recurring engineering for the production and delivery of nine Japan configuration E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Act,” the US Department of Defense said in a statement Thursday.

This modification definitizes a previously awarded modification for long lead parts associated with the Japan E-2D airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, the statement said.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) maintains a fleet of 13 E-2C Hawkeyes and four E-767 aircraft as part of its Airborne Early Warning Wing. The E-2Cs are likely to be decommissioned in the late 2020s.

Japan ordered four E-2Ds for $1.7 billion in 2015. During October last year, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) approved the purchase of 9 additional E-2D Hawkeye aircraft for $3.1 billion. First of the four ordered planes was delivered to Tokyo this May.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft is a twin-turboprop, carrier-capable tactical air tactical airborne early warning aircraft. It is equipped with an AN/APY-9 radar, an ultra-high frequency hybrid mechanical/electronically scanned radar system with a 360-degree coverage capability. The aircraft is capable of detecting a ground-to-air cruise missile launch and stealth aircraft. It can be deployed from an aircraft carrier.