Northrop Grumman Wins $100M French E-2D Hawkeye Contract

Northrop Grumman won a contract worth nearly $100 million to support French E-2D Hawkeye aircraft.

This modification adds scope to procure long lead items and associated services in support of the production and delivery of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for the government of France, a U.S. DoD release today said.

The U.S. green-lighted the sale of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye jets and related equipment to France for $2 billion in July 2020. The French Navy will be second only to Japan, to own these jets.

As it was the case with the E-2C, France will be the only non-U.S. Advanced Hawkeye operator to deploy them aboard aircraft carriers. The MoD statement added that AEW&C aircraft guarantee the safety of the carrier strike group, to which they provide a unique capability for remote detection and identification of threats, command and control of air assets for air-sea operations, and power projection at sea and to land from the aircraft carrier.

Built by Northrop Grumman, the aircraft’s AESA radar, cockpit and data links are notably improved over its predecessor E-2C. The new planes can also be refuelled in flight. They will be adapted to French requirements by integrating a specific computer, developed by the French Aerospace Industry Service (SIAé), which will guarantee the system’s autonomous upgrade capability.