See a “Flying Saucer” in October
**Due to unforeseen circumstances, the E-2D Hawkeye will not be coming to the show.**
An all Houston and Texas based crew will be bringing in this unique Naval aircraft from VAW-125 out of NAS Norfolk, VA.
We have a great display aircraft coming to this year’s Wings Over Houston Airshow, October 14th and 15th – the U.S. Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye! The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar with a two-generation leap in capability and upgraded aircraft systems that will improve supportability and increase readiness.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Dec. 9, 2009) E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft conduct a test flight near St. Augustine, Fla. (Photo Courtesy Northrop Grumman/Released)
The E-2D Hawkeye will be on display and available for viewing all weekend long. And on top of that, it will have an all Texas based crew. Make sure to thank them for their service and welcome them all back home to Texas!
You won’t believe what this aircraft can do! The E-2D continues the Navy’s integrated war fighting legacy by providing broad area coverage resulting in broader range capabilities. With the E-2D’s enhanced ability to work in the littoral and over land, the platform provides a critical capability to protect our nation’s interests.
Beyond the battle group, the Hawkeye’s command and control capability makes it a multi-mission platform through its ability to coordinate concurrent missions that may arise during a single flight, to include: airborne strike, land force support, rescue operations, managing a reliable communications network between widely dispersed nodes and support for drug interdiction operations. The use of the new glass cockpit and tactical fourth operator display allows the five-person crew more flexibility in fulfilling these diverse missions.
About the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye – “Super Fudd”
Specifications
- Overall Length: 57 ft. 8.75 in
- Wing Area: 80 ft. 7 in
- Weight (Empty): 40,484 lbs
- Speed: 300+ kts
- Ceiling: 37,000 ft.
- Power Plant: Two Rolls-Royce T56-A-427A Turboprop engines (5100 shp each)
- Sensors: Fully integrated open architecture system
- Crew: five; two pilots, three mission systems operators with the option for the co-pilot to act as fourth mission systems operator.
- Prime Contractor: Northrop Grumman
The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the earlier, piston-engined E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete. The aircraft’s performance has been upgraded with the E-2B and E-2C versions, where most of the changes were made to the radar and radio communications due to advances in electronic integrated circuits and other electronics. The fourth major version of the Hawkeye is the E-2D, which first flew in 2007. The E-2 was the first aircraft designed specifically for its role, as opposed to a modification of an existing airframe, such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry. Variants of the Hawkeye have been in continuous production since 1960, giving it the longest production run of any carrier-based aircraft.
The E-2 also received the nickname “Super Fudd” because it replaced the WF (later E-1) “Willy Fudd”. In recent decades, the E-2 has been commonly referred to as the “Hummer” because of the distinctive sounds of its turboprop engines, quite unlike that of turbojet and turbofan jet engines. In addition to U.S. Navy service, smaller numbers of E-2s have been sold to the armed forces of Egypt, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and Taiwan.
Grumman also used the basic layout of the E-2 to produce the Grumman C-2 Greyhound cargo aircraft.
About Airborne Command & Control Squadron (VAW) 125 “Tigertails” – NAS Norfolk, VA
Established in 1968, VAW-125 was the first squadron to deploy with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft and is currently serving in Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Japan.
Mission:
Their principal mission is Command and Control of airborne, surface, and battlefield assets, to include long range detection of hostile forces, strike control at sea, coordination and control for power projection ashore and fleet air defense.
Part of the advancement of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is it’s new ability (since the year 2020) to refuel in the air. Believe it of not, these planes were not built with that capacity, which limited it’s time it could fly missions. With the help and brains of the Northrop Grumman team, they figured out the issues and masterminded a way to build the refueling system that they have in them today.
Below is a quick, 3-minute, video showing you and telling you all about this awesome feat. Check it out!
We thank them all for their service and cannot wait to see this impressive plane at the 2023 Wings Over Houston Airshow. Is it October yet!?
Info Sources:
- https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/e-2d-advanced-hawkeye/
- https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/E-2D
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_E-2_Hawkeye
- https://www.airpac.navy.mil/Organization/Airborne-Command-Control-Squadron-VAW-125/
- https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VAW/Carrier-Airborne-Early-Warning-Squadron-125.htm
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