France to Get 3 E-2D Hawkeye Early Warning Aircraft

Northrop Grumman won a contract worth $354 million to deliver three E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to France.

This modification provides for the production and delivery of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for the government of France, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed in a statement today.

France’s plan to acquire three of these aircraft to replace the Navy’s old E-2C Hawkeyes was first revealed more than a year ago. The U.S. approved this sale 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.