BETHPAGE, N.Y., July 21, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The first of Japan's fleet of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)-built E-2C early-warning command and control aircraft to be upgraded to the E-2C Hawkeye 2000 configuration completed its maiden flight on July 14.
The aircraft, one of 13 E-2C Hawkeyes that Japan operates, was modified and upgraded by a Japan Hawkeye industry team that includes Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.; Toshiba; and Yamada Corporation. Kawasaki Heavy Industries did the final modifications at its Gifu, Japan facility. Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector, the U.S. Navy's E-2C prime contractor, performed the engineering work for the modification program and provided the modification kits.
The aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the Japan Air Self Defense Force in the September 2004 timeframe.
The Hawkeye 2000 is an airborne early-warning and command and control aircraft. Integrated Systems is building new Hawkeye 2000s for the Navy and other countries. The Hawkeye 2000 flew its first combat mission with the Navy during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
To date, Japan has committed to upgrade nine of its E-2Cs to the Hawkeye 2000 configuration. The Hawkeye 2000 upgrade program for Japan includes the replacement of the current radar in planes with the AN/APS-145 radar, and new mission computers and displays, which provide significant enhancements in both operational capability and reliability.
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems is a premier aerospace and defense systems integration organization. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., it designs, develops, produces and supports network-enabled integrated systems and subsystems optimized for use on networks. For its government and civil customers worldwide, Integrated Systems delivers best-value solutions, products and services that support military and homeland defense missions in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; space access; battle management command and control; and integrated strike warfare.