NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program received approval to begin low-rate initial production June 11.

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Ashton Carter, signed the Acquisition Decision Memorandum that delivered the decision following a Milestone C review for which the program underwent a system design verification and demonstration during developmental testing.

Low-rate initial production allows a ramp-up in manufacturing of a weapon system, allowing the program to prove confidence in the aircraft’s development before moving into full-rate production.

The decision comes after the E-2D’s completion of an operational assessment last fall to verify the aircraft’s systems capability, suitability and design will be fully responsive to the future needs of the carrier air strike group.

“The men and women of this program have worked extremely hard for the past six years to reach this major acquisition milestone, and to deliver this advanced capability to the warfighter,” said Capt. Shane Gahagan, Hawkeye Greyhound program manager. “This decision is significant because it gets us closer to delivering on that promise that was made over six years ago.”

The decision coincided with a review and recertification of the E-2D program under the Nunn-McCurdy certification process. The Navy determined that the program experienced a significant cost growth of 25 percent above the original baseline estimated in 2003, resulting in a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach, and notified Congress.

A rigorous review showed that the critical breach could be mitigated by programming the procurement of E-2D aircraft at a more efficient rate. The Navy has taken this mitigating action and is already implementing discrete cost reduction initiatives and capitalizing on lessons learned to improve upon projected cost.

Cost drivers in the program include estimating increases to the E-2D radar, antenna, funding instability and minor changes to capability requirements. The Navy will continue to review and implement discrete cost reduction initiatives, including possible multi-year procurements and capitalize on lessons learned to improve upon projected costs.

Under the E-2D’s low-initial rate production, the Navy will procure two aircraft each in fiscal year 2009 and 2010. The program of record indicates the Navy will purchase 75 total aircraft.

When fielded to the Fleet, the E-2D will join the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and EA-18G Growler, to comprise the future carrier flight deck continuing the Navy’s integrated warfighting legacy.

The first E-2D System Development and Demonstration aircraft, known as Delta One, arrived here May 31 for continued developmental testing in preparation for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation. The second E-2D, known as Delta Two, will arrive at NAS Patuxent River later this summer. The program is on-track for Initial Operational Test & Evaluation in 2011.

Delta One and Delta Two have achieved more than 1,000 successful flight test hours.

The aircraft, developed by Northrop Grumman at its St. Augustine Manufacturing Center, St. Augustine, Fla., have been through initial ground and flight testing at the center since May 2007.

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The latest aircraft variant of the E-2 platform, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is currently undergoing flight testing at NAS Patuxent River, Md., and Northrop Grumman's St. Augustine Manufacturing Center, Fla., in preparation for Initial Operational Test & Evaluation.