"Delta Two" Advanced Hawkeye Now Flying In Test Program

The second E-2D Advanced Hawkeye development aircraft -- known as Delta Two -- built for the US Navy by prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation completed its first flight in just over two hours from the company's St. Augustine, FL manufacturing and flight test center November 29. A second flight followed on December 4.

"The first flight of our second development aircraft signals another major program performance milestone for the E-2 program and for Team Hawkeye. It's clear by our consistent team effort that we're focused on delivering to the Navy its arsenal of 21st century network-centric warfare and battle management capabilities when we said we would," said Tom Vice, vice president of Airborne Early Warning and Battle Management Command and Control Programs - Navy for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector.

"Team Hawkeye and our Navy program team are performing in stellar fashion. We are right where we want to be in flight test. The combination of commitment and communication from the integrated Navy and industry team is the key to the success we have seen in this program," said Capt. Randy Mahr, NAVAIR Hawkeye program manager.

Piloting the test aircraft was Mike Holton, an 18-year Northrop Grumman experimental test pilot veteran with 25 years of E-2 test pilot experience. Co-piloting Delta Two was 21-year veteran and the Airborne Early Warnings program's Chief Test Pilot Les Ryan, who has tested E-2s for over 26 years. Joining them in the flight was Wyle Weapon System Operator Ray Collazo, an experimental test weapon system expert with 17 years of test experience. All three are Naval Academy graduates and flew with Navy E-2 squadrons during their military careers. Collazo and Holton flew together in VAW-112 and Ryan flew for VAW-114.

During the flight of the program's second system design and development aircraft, the team conducted a series of air vehicle tests to evaluate airplane flying qualities, engine response, and cockpit instruments.

"Our go-forward plan is to fly another flight to check out engine air start capability, and high angle of attack flying qualities, and then we will complete the installation of the weapon system. Once the weapon system is in, we will fly approximately two hundred flights to evaluate the new radar. And just like Delta One, which flew its first flight on August 3, Delta Two flew just like an E-2C," Holton said.

In July of this year, Northrop Grumman was also awarded a $408 million pilot production contract to build three aircraft, and the keel was laid for the first production aircraft (AA3) on September 27. The original $2 billion SD&D contract was awarded on August 4, 2003.

Vice said the Navy plans to procure at least 75 E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes, all which are manufactured at Northrop Grumman's Manufacturing and Flight Test Center in St. Augustine. More than one third of all current Hawkeyes are flown internationally by Japan, Taiwan, Egypt, Singapore and France.

FMI: www.northropgrumman.com