091209-O-0000X-001 ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2009) - E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft conduct a test flight near St. Augustine, Fla. (Photo Courtesy Northrop Grumman/Released)
Posted on 07/29/2010 5:14:58 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The E2-D Advanced Hawkeye, the Navy's newest airborne early warning and control aircraft, was delivered to the fleet July 29 at Naval Station Norfolk.
Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, accepted the Hawkeye on behalf of the Navy during a ceremony held on Chambers Field.
"It's going to be a game changer with information dominance for the U.S. Navy," Roughead said.
The Advanced Hawkeye, while not significantly changing the mission of early warning and control, will enable the aircraft to perform its mission with greater improvements. The new aircraft will be able to scan a larger area, detect smaller objects, process information faster. The aircrews will be able to accomplish these tasks through improved all glass cockpits and tactical operators stations.
"While the Advanced Hawkeye may look familiar, on the inside it is a totally new aircraft," said Gary Ervin, president of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems Sector. "The systems represent a multi-generational leap in technology."
The advanced Hawkeye will go to Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 120, the "Greyhawks," first. They are the Navy's Fleet Replacement Squadron and will train pilots and Navy flight officers to fly and operate the new systems before assignment to an operational fleet squadron.
"Now it is up to Cmdr. Watkins and the 700 professionals of VAW 120 to push this aircraft to the limit and unlock its great potential," said Ervin. "The work they do will set up for a seamless transition to the fleet."
Like its predecessors, the E2-D is designed to last for many decades. Space has been left for advancement as new technology emerges.
"For longer than I have been in the Navy, the fleet has relied on the Hawkeye," said Vice Adm. Allen Myers, commander of naval aviation. "It's the first to launch and the last to recover on the flight deck, and has earned the reputation as the ears and eyes of the fleet."
Had the Brits had carriers capable of launching AEW in the Falklands, they would likely have avoided the near catastrophic loss of ships and material. It was a close run thing.
AEW is not sexy, it is essential.
Ping.
Yup. It doesn’t get play because it doesn’t have a pointy nose, jet engines, and go supersonic. But without it, the fast movers are just playing with the clouds.
I expect that kind of mistake from the MSM, not from Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Matthew Bookwalter, Navy Public Affairs Support Element, Eas
I should proof my posts.
Specifications Overall Length: 57 ft. 8.75 in Wing Area: 80 ft. 7 in Weight (Empty): 40,484 lbs Internal Fuel: Speed: 300+ kts Ceiling: 37,000 ft. Range: Power Plant: Two Rolls-Royce T56-A-427 Turboprop engines (5100 shp each) Sensors: Fully integrated open architecture system; Crew: five; two pilots, three mission systems operators with the option for the co-pilot to act as fourth mission systems operator. Prime Contractor: Northrup Grumman
Sweet....!
For those who think Hawkeyes are pedestrian and sedate...
When I was in the USN back in the Seventies, I worked the flight deck as a plane captain, mechanic and troubleshooter. Interesting work...:)
They would occasionally do little airshows for the crew to boost morale...strafing smoke markers, dropping a few loads of MK82s from A-6 Intruders in ripple mode, supersonic flybys, some aerobatics, the whole bit.
After all these things, all the types getting to strut their stuff, the only thing missing was a Hawkeye fly-by, usually pretty close, but not very exciting.
When the Air Boss announced the Hawkeye was coming in from astern, everyone turned to look...
There was a Hawkeye, diving towards the stern probably at the fastest speed they were allowed to fly it in what looked like a 45 degree dive! Black smoke came out the back of both the T-56 engines which were apparently at full military power as the thing swooped over the fantail and roared overhead the length of the flight deck at an ungodly low altitude...everyone laughed and jumped up and down, there was just something about seeing this sedate Hawkeye seemingly possessed trying to say to everyone “I got gumption too!”
And we all looked forward to the arrival of the C-2 Greyhound, and went topside to see it land, because it meant MAIL (at a time before e-mail and calling home from the boat; written mail was all we had.).
My first cruise, as I ran through the berthing compartment to select a rack, I stupidly chose what had to be the worst rack in the space. Top of the tier, right under the #3 wire.
But that wasn’t the worst...I had a 1MC right above my rack, an arms length away. Very bad!
But I always remember laying in that rack (after I got used to the concept of the plane slamming into the deck only feet away) hearing the E-2s taxiing around above me. Other planes I could hear as they went too and fro above me, the engines rising and falling as the throttles were being goosed, but the deep, vibrating thrum of those T-56 engines seemed to penetrate my sleep and wake me up, even when the traps didn’t...
Yep! I loved mail call! Ahh, for those perfumed letters...:)
I remember the first time I saw a Cod (I know, the Grayhounds and Vikings were Cods too, but but the C1 will always be “The Cod” for me!
It always struck me, as they crouched near the ramp, they were like some living animal that was gathering itself together to prepare to throw itself into the air.
As those piston engines roared, the plane seemed to almost compress, and as it launched, it lurched forward and seemed to go comically slow up the angle...but would always lift off with plenty of room to spare!
I loved watching them. After seeing that, I always thought that the Doolittle Raiders must have looked much the same way when they took off. That must have been something to see!
Sigh. Grumman planes. (tear rolls down cheek)
After listening to AC taking off all the time it was the silence that woke me up in a panic !
They quit I sh*t per se....:o)
Ahhh the good ole days.....LOL !
Stay safe !
LOL...too funny...
You too.
VAW-116 Bump
One of the early problems with that recent French carrier (forget the name) was that it was unable to operate the E-2C as it was designed. Without the Hawkeye the entire CVBG is left naked. The French spent a lot of time & treasure fixing that deficiency.
Doing it with Helo’s is not the answer.
They would have been better off purchasing a Nimitz Class carrier.
IIRC, they couldn’t get enough wind over the deck to launch/recover a Hawkeye. I guess that the DeGaulle wasn’t making speed owing to a basic problem in the propulsion plant. There was also some question about the overall length of the flight deck, but there isn’t much that you can do about that.
Click on pic for past Navair pings.
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.
Since the E-2C doesn't have any hard-points the XO of the hummer squadron (VAW-125) donned flight deck goggles, leaned out of the aft escape hatch and hand-delivered the practice bomb.
They won the derby.
LOL. Wrong is wrong. LOL
The one thing that could not be slept through was the anchor dropping, my rack was just a few feet away from the big pipes that connect the forecastle to the chain storage areas below. The first time they dropped anchor I thought a bomb had gone off. I jumped out of my rack, landed in my boots and was headed for the nearest exit in my skivvies. All my shipmates got a good laugh out of that.
Money very well spent.
Wing area or wing span?
Wingspan
Sure those Taiwanese chips don't have trapdoors in 'em, Admiral?
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