France approved to buy 3 E-2D Hawkeye Aircraft for $2B

The United States state department has approved a possible Sale to the Government of France of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2 billion.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of France requests to buy three (3) E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft, ten (10) T-56-427A engines (6 installed and 4 spares), three (3) AN/APY-9 radar assemblies, four (4) AN/ALQ-217 electronic support measure systems (3 installed and 1 spare), three (3) AN/AYK-27 Integrated Navigation Channels and Display Systems, five (5) Link-16 (MIDS-JTRS) Communications Systems (3 installed and 2 spares), ten (10) Embedded GPS/INS (EGI) Devices (6 installed and 4 spares), four (4) AN/APX-122(A) and AN/APX-123(A) Identification, Friend or Foe systems (3 installed and 1 spare) and one (1) Joint Mission Planning System.

Also included are Common Systems Integration Laboratories with/Test Equipment, one in Melbourne, FL, and the other in France; air and ground crew equipment; support equipment; spare and repair parts; publications and technical documentation; transportation; training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor logistics, engineering, and technical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support.  The total estimated program cost is $2 billion.

The proposed sale will improve France’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing its Naval Air Forces with a sustainable follow on capability to their current, legacy E-2C Hawkeye aircraft.  The E-2D aircraft will continue and expand French naval aviation capabilities and maintain interoperability with U.S. naval forces. 

The principal contractor will be Northrop Grumman Systems Corp, Aerospace Systems, Melbourne, FL.  There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.  Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the Purchaser and the prime contractor.