Northrop Grumman has initiated the manufacture of the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for the French Navy at its St. Augustine facility.
This marks a step for France in acquiring a leading airborne command and control aircraft.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Last year, Northrop Grumman’s Aeronautics Systems division in Melbourne, Florida, secured a $387m contract modification to produce three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for France.
The first delivery is anticipated in 2027.
These new aircraft will replace France’s E-2C Hawkeye 2000 fleet, which has been operational for more than 25 years.
The E-2C Hawkeye 2000, which began service with the French Navy in 1998, supports air defence and the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataFrance is the only nation besides the US to operate E-2C Hawkeyes from an aircraft carrier, facilitating interoperability exercises with the US fleet.
Northrop Grumman multi-domain command and control programmes vice-president Janice Zilch said: “Our partnership with France goes back over 25 years.
“We are proud to have supported the French Navy with the Hawkeye 2000, and we look forward to providing a generational leap in decision dominance with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.”
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye represents the latest in a series of airborne early warning aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman over the past 60 years.
It serves as an airborne command and control platform.
The aircraft features 360-degree radar coverage for comprehensive tracking and situational awareness, and its architecture supports rapid technology updates.
E-2 variants are used by air forces and navies globally.
With a consistent production line and timely delivery record, the E-2D continues to integrate new technologies to address evolving threats.
The latest announcement comes after the US Navy (USN) contracted Northrop Grumman to enhance the platform’s cockpit and digital architecture.
