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FinanceNorthrop Grumman wins $1.2bn US Navy contract for E-2D Block II aircraft
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Northrop Grumman has been awarded a not-to-exceed $1.19 billion contract by the US Department of War to produce three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Block II aircraft for the US Navy. The undefinitised contract, announced on July 22, covers manufacturing, delivery, and support. Key work locations include Melbourne and St. Augustine in Florida, and Liverpool, New York, with additional work in the UK. Approximately 21% of work will be distributed across various US sites. Work is due to be completed by December 2031, with $583.394 million in fiscal year 2026 Navy aircraft procurement funds obligated at award. The E-2D Block II is the latest upgrade to the long-serving E-2 airborne command and control platform, featuring enhancements such as the Digital Receiver Exciter Recorder (DREXR) upgrade, and is expected to be fielded in a couple of years.
Source report
Northrop Grumman has been awarded a not-to-exceed $1.19 billion contract to produce three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Block II aircraft for the U.S. Navy.
The undefinitised contract, announced by the U.S. Department of War (DoW) on 22 July, covers manufacturing, delivery, and associated support for the trio of aircraft.
Key Work Locations
According to the DoW, primary work locations include:
- Melbourne, Florida – 29.88%
- St. Augustine, Florida – 17.68%
- Liverpool, New York – 13.85%
Additional work will be carried out at various sites across the U.S. and internationally, including Wimborne Minster in Dorset, UK. Approximately 21% of work will be distributed across various locations within the continental United States.
Work is due to be completed by December 2031.
Funding and Management
The DoW stated that $583.394 million of fiscal year 2026 Navy aircraft procurement funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Naval Air Systems Command is managing the contracting activity.
About the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Block II
The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Block II is the forthcoming upgrade to the long-serving E-2 airborne command and control aircraft platform, which has been in service for over 60 years.
Northrop Grumman stated last year that the new Block II iteration will introduce a series of enhancements to the platform. At the Air and Space Power Conference in London on 16 July 2025, Jane Bishop, Northrop Grumman’s sector vice president and general manager for global surveillance, indicated that Block II will be “fielded in a couple of years.”
In April this year, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin confirmed that they completed flight trials for the Digital Receiver Exciter Recorder (DREXR) upgrade on the U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
The E-2D, the latest version in the E-2 series, is designed for airborne early warning and command and control, providing a 360-degree surveillance capability over both land and sea.
Image credit: Northrop Grumman
Source
Naval TechnologyWestern
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Northrop Grumman wins $1.2bn US Navy contract for new E-2D Block II aircraft