Grumman Bethpage Lands Pentagon Contract

[Gerard]

Northrup Grumman is building the new E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to replace the aging E-2C and while the plane will be manufactored at the St. Augustine, Fla. plant design and electronics work is to be done at Bethpage. This is great news.
For the whole article go to Newsday.com (LI News)

[cancidas]

US Navy signs for Advanced Hawkeye production
By Craig Hoyle

The US Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman an almost $408 million contract to manufacture its first three of a planned 75 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft.

Announced on 9 July, the navy's order comes a month before Northrop is scheduled to conduct the debut flight of its first of two aircraft produced to support the E-2D programme's current system development and demonstration phase.

The Advanced Hawkeye was rolled out at the company's St Augustine site in Florida earlier this year.


Photo © Northrop Grumman


Production of the three pilot-phase aircraft will conclude in August 2010, says the navy, which expects to spend $15 billion on its new Hawkeye fleet.

To enter service in 2011, the E-2D is equipped with Lockheed Martin's electronically scanned APY-9 radar, which will boost the Hawkeye's ability to conduct maritime and overland surveillance tasks, while also increasing its air-to-air detection range.

The US Navy's current active inventory of Hawkeyes comprises more than 70 E-2Cs, according to Flight's MiliCAS database.

[lijk604]

Oh SWEET! Hope to see this bird visit LI one of these days.

[GrummanFan]

Usually they bring a bird or two up so the people in Bethpage can get a first hand look at what they helped build. Doesn't look like the airframe changed all too much, but I still can't wait to see it!

[hiss srq]

Wait, I just read the Newsday article, I know wow amazing, Ryan actually reads a Newsday (sorry Moose) and I am slightly confused. Are these newbuild alltogehter or mods and retrofits? That 8 blade prop is kickass.

[GrummanFan]

They're brand new ones. They've been "mod-ing" the current E2C's with new electronics for some time now, but the airframes are starting to get old.

[hiss srq]

Shweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetttttttttttttttt! Hello Long Island, we are back in the game. Sort of.

[moose135]

As Dan said, these will be new airframes, however they have a program underway now to install those 8-blade props onto current E-2s as well. And thanks, Ryan, every little bit helps the circulation numbers

[cancidas]

spellman, they airframes are going to be built and outfitted in St. Augustine FL at grumman's facility there.

[hiss srq]

Oh thank you CELMER! LoL ;o)

[Nick]

Those are some wacky lookin props. Good news for LI.