The U.S. Navy awarded a $33 million contract March 4 to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation for the E-2D Precision Approach Landing Capability (PALC) into the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. 

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) achieved a breakthrough in global airpower this summer, successfully refueling mid-air from three French-made tankers – a historic first that dramatically extends the Advanced Hawkeye's reach and for seamless joint operations while providing unprecedented airborne surveillance capabilities.

The fleet is one step closer to significant improvements for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye following a recent Delta System Software Configuration (DSSC)-6 Preliminary Design Review (PDR) with the E-2/C-2 Airborne Command & Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) and industry partner Northrop Grumman.

The DSSC-6 configuration will improve the aircraft significantly by reducing pilot workload, enhanced situational awareness, and bringing vital readiness and reliability upgrades paired with architecture and cybersecurity improvements.

The E-2/C-2 Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) awarded a $16 million contract to Fuse Integration on Aug. 26 for the production of Fuse CORE 4.0 virtualized network systems for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

CORE updates the E-2D’s external networking systems to a modern, software-based network as part of the E-2D’s Delta System Software Configuration (DSSC)-5 build.

The U.S. Navy awarded an $845.5 million contract to Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation for the E-2D Delta System Software Configuration 6 (DSSC 6) on Sept. 12.

DSSC 6 is scheduled to be introduced in fiscal year 2027 and aims to add the “most significant change to this platform since the E-2D rolled out,” said Capt. Pete Arrobio, E-2/C-2 Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) program manager.

A team of Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) test engineers, systems engineers, and interoperability engineers recently delivered a new E-2D Distributed Readiness Trainer (D-DRT) to the fleet at Naval Air Station Point Mugu. The trainer will enable Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) to train with the same systems that are installed on fleet aircraft. In order to validate the trainer’s performance, the team conducted a mission evaluation with fleet weapons school and Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX-30).

The first two E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Distributed Readiness Trainers (D-DRT) successfully completed fleet mission testing at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, and was officially deemed ready-for-training Feb. 26, five months ahead of schedule.

The E-2D community reached its mission capable goal five months ahead of schedule recently thanks to efforts made by the E-2/C-2 Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) and the Airborne Command and Control Logistics Wing (ACCLOGWING).

France became the second international customer of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE), Dec. 2, with a signed Letter of Offer and Acceptance to procure three E-2D aircraft from the U.S. Navy, for a maximum value of $2 billion.

The E-2/C-2 Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) awarded a $34 million contract to Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Aug. 3, for the requirements phase of the engineering, manufacturing and development of the E-2D Hawkeye Cockpit Technical Refresh, referred to as HECTR.