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The E-2C Hawkeye is the U.S. Navy's all-weather, carrier-based tactical airborne warning and control system platform. It provides all-weather airborne early warning and command and control functions for the carrier battle group. Additional missions include surface surveillance coordination, strike and interceptor control, search and rescue guidance and communications relay. An integral component of the carrier air wing, the E-2C carries three primary sensors: radar, IFF, and a passive detection system. These sensors are integrated through a general purpose computer that enables the E-2C to provide early warning, threat analyses, and control of counter action against air and surface targets. The E-2C incorporates the latest solid state electronics. Carrier-based E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft directed F-14 Tomcat fighters that provided combat air patrol during the two-carrier battle group joint strike against terrorist-related Libyan targets in 1986, and during the crisis period preceeding and following the strike. E-2Cs and AEGIS cruisers, working together, provided total air mass superiority over the American fleet. During this time, American aircraft made 153 intercepts of Libyan air force attempts to overfly the U.S. fleet, intercept the U.S. fighter combat air patrol, or gather intelligence information. Not once did a Libyan aircraft get into firing position before it was locked into the sights of a U.S. aircraft or AEGIS platform missile.
E-2 aircraft also have worked extremely effectively with U.S. law enforcement agencies in drug interdiction operations. The E-2C replaces the E-2B, an earlier version. E-2C aircraft entered U.S. Navy service with Airborne Early Warning Squadron 123 (VAW-123) at NAS Norfolk, Va., in November 1973. Procurement of E-2Cs by the Navy is planned at six per year for FY 1988-98. The E-2C+ upgrade includes radar improvements, software upgrades, and more powerful engines. Further plans include upgrading the whole E-2 fleet to Block I and II status, which mean a new radar (APS-139 and APS-145, respectively) and overall improved processing capability. On 26 April 1999 Northrop Grumman was awarded a $1,305,400,000 multiyear advanced acquisition contract for the procurement of 21 airborne early warning E-2C aircraft in the Hawkeye 2000 configuration for the US Navy, and long lead material for one aircraft for the government of France under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Augustine, Fla. (80%), and Bethpage, N.Y. (20%), and is expected to be completed by July 2006. Taiwan received four E-2T [for Taiwan] Hawkeyes as of September 1995 as part of a $749.5 million deal with US firm Northrop Grumman. In conjunction with F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighters, the E-2Ts will enhance Taiwan's air defence capability, increasing attack warning times from five minutes to 25 minutes.
E-2C: Two Allison T56-A-425 turboprops; each has approximately 4,600 horsepower E-2C+: Two Allison T56-A-427 engines; each has approximately 5,100 horsepower; since 1988 Accommodations: Crew of five—two pilots and three operators. Performance: E-2C: maximum speed 350 knots; range 1,300 nautical miles E-2C+: maximum speed 350 knots; range 1,500 nautical miles Countermeasures: Not applicable Armament: E-2C: Lockheed Martin Ocean, Radar, and Surveillance Systems [ex General Electric Corporation] AN/APS-138 radar since 1984; E-2C+: Lockheed Martin Ocean, Radar, and Surveillance Systems [ex General Electric Corporation] AN/APS-145 radar since 1991 All: AN/ALR-73 Passive Detection System, IFF Mission and Capabilities: High-wing, all-weather, carrier-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft that patrols task force defense perimeters In service with Naval Air Forces Atlantic and Naval Air Forces Pacific, as well as the armed forces of Israel, Japan, Egypt, Singapore, and Taiwan
Areas Weights and Loadings Performance (at maximum Takeoff Weight)
The history of this aircraft: the E-2 on display was delivered to the US Navy as an E-2A model in September 1966 and later upgraded to the E-2B standard in January 1970 after undergoing a complete computer and radar upgrade. Our aircraft saw service aboard the USS America and later saw service on the USS John F. Kennedy, USS Ranger, USS Midway, USS Forrestal and USS Independence. She was assigned to several early warning squadrons, including VAW-12, VAW-115 VAW-117, VAW-122, VAW-124, VAW-125, VAW-126, RVAW-110 and RVAW-120. On January 14 1986 this aircraft was retired at Lakehurst NJ and transferred to the AVM September 11 1995. Museum volunteers, with the help of Denny’s Towing, towed the 38,000 pound aircraft over the road from Lakehurst NAES to the Air Victory Museum overnight. The continuous improvements in early airborne radars by 1956 led to the concept of an airborne early warning and command and control aircraft. The first aircraft to perform this mission was the Grumman E-1 Tracer (a variant of the S-2 Tracker anti-submarine aircraft), which saw service from 1954 to 1964. The E-1's successor, the E-2 Hawkeye, was the first carrier-based aircraft designed from the outset for the all-weather airborne early warning and command and control function. Since replacing the E-1 in 1964, the Hawkeye has been the "eyes of the fleet." Since its combat debut during the Vietnam conflict, the E-2 has served the Navy around the world. Hawkeyes directed F-14 Tomcat fighters flying combat air patrol during the two-carrier battle group joint strike against terrorist-related Libyan targets in 1986. E-2Cs and AEGIS cruisers, working together, provided total air mass superiority over the American fleet. More recently, E-2Cs provided the command and control for successful operations during the Persian Gulf War, directing both land attack and combat air patrol missions over Iraq and providing control for the shoot-down of two Iraqi MIG-21 aircraft by carrier-based F/A-18s in the early days of the war. E-2 aircraft also have worked extremely effectively with U.S. law enforcement agencies in drug interdictions. The newest version of the Hawkeye, the E-2C, became operational in 1973. The E-2C Hawkeye is the U.S. Navy's all-weather, carrier-based tactical airborne warning and control system platform. It provides all-weather airborne early warning and command and control functions for the carrier battle group. Additional missions include surface surveillance coordination, strike and interceptor control, search and rescue guidance and communications relay. An integral component of the carrier air wing, the E-2C carries three primary sensors: radar, IFF, and a passive detection system. These sensors are integrated through a general purpose computer that enables the E-2C to provide early warning, threat analyses, and control of counter action against air and surface targets. The E-2C incorporates the latest solid state electronics. The fuselage is designed for carrier operations and is fitted with a nose-tow catapult attachment for accelerated carrier take-off, an A-frame arrester hook for engagement of the arresting gear and a tail bumper to withstand impact or scraping on the runway. For storage in the hangar, the wings fold hydraulically to lie flat to the fuselage. The fuselage is of light metal construction, and parts of the tailplane are of composite structure in order to reduce radar signature.
T56-A-247 Engine
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There currently is one squadron of four Hawkeyes in each carrier air wing (CVW). 
Power Plant: 
Wing span 24.56 m / 80' 7" 
Grumman delivered our Hawkeye as a E-2A model in September 1966. It was upgraded to E-2B standard in January 1970 The E-2 was designed as a Airborne Early Warning platform. The E-2B can track upto 300 targets both in the air and on the surface or ground. Hawkeyes have been sold to Israel, Japan, Egypt, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and France.
