Rockwell Collins receives E-2D trainer contract

June 15 (UPI) -- Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions has received a $34 million contract for the procurement of one E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Tactics Trainer.

The trainer will support E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training Systems III program. The contract provides for aircraft-to-simulator concurrency updates, engineering changes and retrofitting for other Hawkeye training systems,and testing of third-party software. It also provides training and addresses obsolescence issues with other training systems.

Work will be conducted in Point Mugu, Calif., and is expected to be completed by August 2020. Fiscal 2016 Navy aircraft procurement funds of $34 million will be obligated at the time of award, with no funds expiring at the end of the fiscal year. The contract award was non-competitive.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is the latest variant of the Navy's carrier-based radar and command-and-control plane. It is designed to extend sensor coverage and facilitate coordination with other planes at long ranges.

It has 360-degree long-range radar that is effective over open sea, shoreline and land. It is designed to detect, track and identify air and surface targets, provide friend or foe identification, and employs electronic surveillance systems.

The system is capable of coordinating multiple strike, air support, reconnaissance and interdiction missions while relaying information back to the carrier battle group using networked data-links. The Hawkeye has been in use, with upgrades, since 1964.