Northrop Grumman contracted for Hawkeye radar plane for Japan

Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman Military Aircraft Systems in Melbourne, Fla., has received a $164.3 million contract for Japanese E-2D Advanced Hawkeye radar aircraft.

Work on the contract, announced Wednesday by the Department of Defense, will be performed in St. Augustine, Fla., Syracuse, N.Y., Melbourne, Fla., other locations in the United States and other countries.

Work is expected to be completed in March 2020 with foreign military sales funds in the amount of $164.3 million having been obligated at time of award, the Pentagon said.

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 designed to detect, track, and identify air and surface targets, provide Friend or Foe identification, and employs electronic surveillance systems.

It 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.