As the United States pivots its strategic focus towards the Indo-Pacific, where naval forces are expected to play a significant role, the E-2’s importance continues to grow.
The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is the US Navy’s carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. Although the E-2 debuted in the 1960s, the platform has remained a vital part of US naval operations, thanks to its powerful surveillance capabilities, which are sufficient to serve as the “eye in the sky” for the entire fleet.
What Are the Capabilities of the E-2 Hawkeye?
Iconic for its large, rotating radar dome above the fuselage, the E-2 is impossible to miss. That rotating radar dome—more notably seen on the Air Force’s E-3 Sentry, the classic “AWACS” plane—houses the AN/APS-145 or more powerful AN/APY-9 radar system, giving the E-2 its unique capabilities. The radar provides 360-degree coverage, enabling the aircraft to detect and track both air and surface targets at long range, even in complex airspace.
Unlike the E-3 Sentry, however, the E-2 was designed to serve from aircraft carriers. The Hawkeye features folding wings to allow for easier storage aboard the cramped conditions of a vessel at sea and a reinforced tailhook for arrested landings. For power, the E-2 relies on twin turboprop engines that offer a balance of endurance and fuel efficiency, allowing the E-2 to stay airborne for extended missions at sea.
The aircraft operates with a five-person crew, including two pilots and three mission systems operators tasked with managing the radar, communications, and tactical data links. Coordination among the five is crucial to the E-2’s effectiveness in command and control roles, where the E-2 is responsible for identifying threats and directing fighter aircraft. The E-2 functions as a mobile air battle manager, coordinating entire battle group responses.
The E-2 Has Withstood the Test of Time
To maintain relevance throughout the more than six decades since its introduction, the E-2 has undergone a series of major upgrades. The most recent version, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, demonstrates a significant leap in technology, including upgraded avionics, an all-glass cockpit, enhanced radar, and satellite communications that allow the aircraft to integrate seamlessly with other US and allied platforms. The improvements enable the E-2D to detect stealth aircraft and cruise missiles more readily—a skill set expected to be crucial in modern warfare against sophisticated adversaries.
As the United States pivots its strategic focus towards the Indo-Pacific, where naval forces are expected to play a significant role, the E-2’s importance continues to grow. The aircraft plays a crucial role in modern naval warfare by extending situational awareness and lifting the fog of war for entire carrier strike groups. The E-2’s presence gives surface ships and aircraft alike the ability to anticipate threats and maintain the upper hand tactically, effectively operating in contested environments such as those the United States would likely encounter in a conflict with China.
The longevity of the E-2 Hawkeye is a testament to the aircraft’s solid foundation, set sixty years ago, and its ability to adapt. The plane is even more important now than when it first debuted, thanks to the rise of a more network-centric style of warfare—suggesting that the aircraft, despite being a Cold War relic, was decades ahead of its time.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense and National Security Writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
