The US Department of Defense has awarded Northrop Grumman a $140.8-million contract to advance the production of five E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes for Japan.
The agreement supports the aircraft’s foreign military sale to Tokyo awarded to the company in 2024.
It includes non-recurring engineering tasks, with most of the tasks to be carried out in Melbourne, Florida, and other locations in the continental US.
The project will be coordinated with the Naval Air Systems Command in Maryland, a unit overseeing aviation systems and related weaponries for the US Navy.
According to Washington’s E-2D sale approval for the Japanese government, the package will cost $1.38 billion and incorporate engines, radars, avionics, GPS, and electronic warfare systems.
Some solutions will be installed in the planes before delivery, while others will count as spares.
Northrop is expected to complete the initiative by March 2029.
The E-2D Hawkeye
Northrop Grumman’s E-2D Hawkeye is a high-performance airborne early warning aircraft operated by two pilots, three mission systems personnel, and an additional specialist when needed.
It is powered by either two Allison T56-A-427 or Rolls-Royce T56-A-427A turboprop engines, each delivering about 5,100 horsepower for a maximum speed of 300 knots (345 miles/556 kilometers per hour).
The E-2D has a range of 1,400 nautical miles (1,611 miles or 2,593 kilometers) and can fly at an altitude up to 37,000 feet (11,278 meters).
The 58-foot (18-meter) long platform has an 81-foot (25-meter) wingspan and a weight of 40,000 pounds (18,144 kilograms).
