Northrop Grumman has secured a nearly $1.2 billion contract from the US Navy to produce three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Block II airborne early warning and command-and-control aircraft. The award includes aircraft production, delivery, and lifecycle support, with contract performance extending through December 2031.
The majority of the work will be carried out at the company’s facilities in Melbourne and St. Augustine, Florida, alongside additional operations at locations across the United States and selected suppliers in France and the UK. The contract was issued by the Naval Air Systems Command using FY2026 Navy aircraft procurement funding, with an initial obligation of approximately $583.4 million.
Serving as the Navy’s primary carrier-based airborne early warning platform, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is equipped with the AN/APY-9 radar, enabling long-range detection of airborne, maritime, and missile threats while supporting battle management and integrated operations across naval, air, and joint forces.
The Block II upgrade introduces a more advanced computing framework, increased processing power, and improved software architecture to accommodate future mission systems, sensors, and networking capabilities as part of the Navy’s carrier air wing modernization strategy.
Advancing the E-2D Fleet
The latest contract builds on ongoing modernization efforts for the E-2D fleet. In April, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman completed flight testing of the Digital Receiver Exciter Recorder, an advanced radar component developed to enhance the aircraft’s ability to detect, track, and process evolving threats during carrier strike group missions.
Also in April, Northrop Grumman chose Green Hills Software’s real-time operating system for the Hawkeye’s upgraded Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation System, boosting resilience in GPS-contested environments while simplifying future software enhancements.
Previously, in January, the US Navy awarded BAE Systems a $62 million contract to establish a specialized depot for maintenance and repair of the AN/APX-122A Identification Friend or Foe system, ensuring long-term operational support for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye fleet.
