"Beyond Flying The Aircraft"

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been competitively selected to provide the integrated tactical cockpit for the US Navy's E-2 Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.

Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector produces the Advanced Hawkeye, and awarded the tactical cockpit contract to the company's Navigation Systems Division.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In a statement released to ANN, Northrop Grumman said its new cockpit goes beyond allowing the pilot to fly the aircraft. The mission computer and software of this integrated system has been designed to allow either the pilot or the co-pilot to participate as a fourth mission-system operator.

In addition, the cockpit will integrate aircraft navigation, control and display functions to provide enhanced situational awareness for the pilot.The system will be integrated and tested at Northrop Grumman's integration laboratory facilities in Woodland Hills prior to aircraft installation in St. Augustine (FL).

"The tactical cockpits in these aircraft integrate the latest technologies in avionics equipment," said Alexis Livanos, vice president and general manager of the Navigation Systems Division. "They benefit from our experience in developing and integrating the cockpits for the H-1 attack and utility helicopters and utilize many elements of hardware and software that are common with these platforms. This cockpit system will enable the display of the Advanced Hawkeye's improved threat-detection capabilities to Navy pilots.The new cockpit reduces the requirement for discrete instruments, gauges and displays, which improves situational awareness for the pilot."

The system design and development phase will occur over the next four years and will include support of aircraft integration and flight testing. There are plans to produce 75 new Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. The majority of the work during the cockpit's system design and development phase will take place at the Woodland Hills facility, with production occurring at the company's Salt Lake City facility.

The E-2 Advanced Hawkeye will give the Navy improved threat detection capabilities over both land and water, with increased range and precision, and will also be the foundation for the Navy's theater air-missile defense-detection capability.

FMI: www.northropgrumman.com