Another major milestone was reached on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye programme, when the first E-2D equipped with aerial refuelling successfully received its first in-flight fuel transfer from a tanker aircraft.
During the 4hr flight, the pilots performed 10 ‘dry plugs’ and two ‘wet plugs’, resulting in the successful transfer of more than 1,700lb of fuel from a US Navy KC-130 Hercules to the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
Programme manager Captain Keith Hash said: “Passing fuel for the first time airborne is a significant milestone in the development of this critical technology, which increases the range and persistence of command and control that the E-2D provides to US and allied forces.”
The aerial refuelling-equipped E-2D made its first flight on 15 December 2016, at Northrop Grumman’s St Augustine facility.
The aircraft was then transferred to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20 (VX-20) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, where the aerial refuelling test programme will be completed.
Jane Bishop, vice-president and programme manager of the E-2/C-2 programme at Northrop Grumman (
www.northropgrumman.com), said: “Developing aerial refuelling capability for the E-2D is another demonstration of Northrop Grumman’s unwavering commitment to giving our Navy customer increased operational capability.”
The US Navy awarded Northrop Grumman the aerial-refuelling contract in 2013. This capability gives the US Navy the flexibility to conduct missions of more than 7hr.
The planned ‘production cut-in’ will be in 2018, with Initial Operating Capability planned for 2020.
The E-2D aircraft already in the fleet will be retrofitted with the system.