Lockheed Martin wins contract for E-2D Advanced Hawkeye upgrade

Lockheed Martin has secured the US Navy’s contract modification for E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s AN/ALQ-217 electronic support measures upgrade.

The $43m modernisation contract will increase the scope of the existing E-2D electronic support measures. It will also offer upgrades to the receiver/processor, active front end and receiver antenna weapons replaceable assemblies (WRAs).

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems Advanced Product Solutions vice-president Hamid Salim said: “We are pleased to provide an upgraded AN/ALQ-217 ESM system for our US Navy customer.

“The additional modifications are critical upgrades for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to improve overall performance in a contested battlespace and provide the capability required by today’s warfighter.”

These upgrades will improve the performance of the vessel in dense littoral and open-ocean environments.

The enhanced situational awareness and full autonomy of the system will also reduce operator workload and enable faster reaction times, while also improving survivability.

Lockheed will support development and testing until 2023 by delivering several AN/ALQ-217D ESM upgrade kits.

The base AN/ALQ-217D contract upgrades include improved Combat Identification (CID) networked-EW for multi-ship geo-location with other Carrier Air Wing (CVW) aircraft and the detection of advanced threat radar systems.

Furthermore, the upgrades will improve the antennas and active front ends (AFEs) of the platform.

Lockheed will carry out most of the work in Owego, New York. The work is expected to be completed by September 2023.

In September last year, the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft with aerial refuelling capability joined the US Navy’s fleet at Naval Station Norfolk.