ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., April 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The first Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, being built for the U.S. Navy by prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), made its first public appearance at rollout ceremonies here today. The E-2D was designed in New York and built in St. Augustine.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://media.primezone.com/noc/

At the ceremony before hundreds, Rear Admiral Pete Williams congratulated Team Hawkeye for delivering a "game-changer for the warfighter." Williams is the Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft with Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.

Tom Vice, vice president of Airborne Early Warning and Joint Battle Management Command and Control Programs for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector, said, "In December 2001, we promised to design and deliver a totally new Hawkeye, an aircraft more adaptable to quickly changing technologies, one that allows the Navy to better respond to changing threats from changing enemies. That promise is embodied in the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Today, the people of Northrop Grumman delivered on a promise."

NAVAIR Advanced Hawkeye program manager, Captain Randy Mahr, said, following the event, "This aircraft we are building here in St. Augustine today will provide what America needs well in to the middle of the century. Our Navy program has an exceptional industry partner -- Northrop Grumman and the companies that comprise Team Hawkeye."

The aircraft unveiled today is the first of two test aircraft to be built under the nearly $2 billion system demonstration and development contract awarded in 2001 to Northrop Grumman. According to Mahr, the Navy plans to procure a total of 75 Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.

While the external appearance is similar to the E-2C, the systems and capabilities which the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye contains are completely redesigned. At the heart of the aircraft is the new radar, the APY-9, designed and built by Lockheed Martin Corporation. It can "see" smaller targets and more of them at greater ranges than the E-2C. The new rotodome, developed by L-3 Communications Randtron Antenna Systems, contains the critically important, continuous, 360-degree scanning capability, while adding an electronically scanned array. This system allows operators to focus the radar on selected areas of interest.

Hawkeye operators will have new radar system workstations, integrated satellite communications capabilities and other tools to better manage the battle space and provide warfighters with expanded situational awareness and information to complete their missions.

An additional new feature of the E-2D is the state-of-the-art glass cockpit that replaces prior-generation Hawkeye displays and avionics systems. One of the advantages is that pilots can also serve as weapon system operators.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will provide Joint U.S. forces and coalition partners airborne battle management command and control from the sea, in both the over-land and over-water environments.

The Navy and Northrop Grumman team will begin flight testing this fall in St. Augustine with further testing at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. Navy squadrons will be equipped with Advanced Hawkeyes as they are delivered beginning in 2011.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 122,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.