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NORFOLK, Va. -- The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye officially became ready for tasking with Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Twenty Five (VAW-125) during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field, March 27.
“This is a revolutionary jump in capabilities,” said Capt. Todd Watkins, Commander, Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing. “The E-2D serves as the eyes of the fleet. If it’s out there, we will see it.”
The “Tigertails” of VAW-125 are the first Navy squadron to become fully operational with the Advanced Hawkeye, the newest, most technologically capable variant of the venerable E-2 airborne early warning command and control platform.
The E-2D is expected to be instrumental to how the Navy will conduct battle management command and control. Able to sweep ahead of the strike, the E-2D can manage the mission and keep carrier battle groups out of harm’s way.
“We were very excited to be the first squadron to receive the [Advanced] Hawkeye,” said Lt. James Beaty, a Naval Flight Officer who has worked extensively with the E-2D. “It’s been a challenge, but I’ve enjoyed learning everything this aircraft is capable of.”
The E-2D’s advanced technology makes it a multi-mission platform through its ability to coordinate concurrent missions which may arise during a single flight. These missions can include airborne strike, ground force support, rescue operations and managing a reliable communications network capable of supporting drug interdiction operations.
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This is the last thing that Marine Air wanted to see and probably spells the end of efforts to make the V-22 the next Carrier On-Board Delivery Vehicle.
Greenert is on a cost saving binge and I can't see how using the V-22 as the next COD makes sense from a financial point of view. Additionally the end of the line for V-22 production is rapidly approaching. I predict that the E-2 will continue in that role. Maybe rebuilt and re-engined, but continue they will.
Aren't the E2D's new builds from scratch? Then what are we doing with the older E2Cs? Are they too old to be modified? Put in a new airframe with the old wings,engines, cockpit and landing gear? Might not be as good as a brand new COD but we should be able to have a bunch more.
ReplyDelete1. Deltas are all-new build aircraft.
Delete2. Fleet E-2Cs are being pushed to training commands to replace even older aircraft that have timed out and been retired.
3. Yes. The only thing that older E-2Cs are good for is to be stripped down to front-end training birds.
4. No: Old wings aren't great components, old engines can be cannibalized for other turboprop aircraft (C-130, P-3, etc), old E-2C cockpits are the very best of 1980s technology, and landing gear time out on carrier planes.
I love your spirit, but if you are going to put a V-8, big tires and a truck body on a VW Bug chassis, just buy a new truck, it'll work better and by less work.
I'd be worried re-using old wings and engines. Those are the things that keep you up in the air and are critical wear and fatigue items.
ReplyDeletea rebuild would probably replace that and zero hour other components. more importantly the Navy's supply line would be simplified.
DeleteTo rebuild old E-2Cs into C-2s would require replacing everything inboard of the folding wings. The T-56-A is a common engine in the military, so those engines can be reused, but everything else you propose reusing would need to be completely remanufactured before it would be safe or effective in a new use.
DeleteThe outer wings could be easily reused, but they are a very small part of the aircraft, and a very small part of the cost.
I just checked Wiki so not sure about the numbers but USN has about 39 C2s COD in operation but there's about 75 E2Cs in service which share a degree of communality with the CODs. Not sure about modifying all 75, some are probably too old but could USN find 50 with still good wings, engines, landing gears,etc and rebuild them with a new cargo airframe? Seems to me USN could at least look into it. The other 25 could be sold to allies and used from shore bases.
ReplyDeletewhy not just add a batch of C2s onto the build run? its what the USN has done before, they don't need to re-think the wheel, they take the avionics, the engines - all the expensive new stuff of the new E2D and then just build some more C2 bodies to put it in.
ReplyDeleteV22 would be way less efficient than E2 ,short wings mean a lot of drag ,big props + tiliting limits the space for the antenna , V22 could never match E-2D endurance which is just about the most important airframe feature for AEW plane
ReplyDeleteThe Navy doesn't want a VTOL AEW capability, we want a mid-size cargo aircraft capable of landing on the carrier. C-2s are going to start timing out, and the V-22 is the most effective replacement currently available. Unless some very quick procurement happens, the C-2's immediate replacement needs to be an aircraft already in production.
DeleteThe US Navy may not want V-22, but reality is that the Amphibious Ready Groups, which may turn into an Expeditionary Strike Group, would need a lot of resupply. Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) will not always be there to provide AEW or helo borne supply after a COD run. V-22 COD in the Western Pacific with EV-22s on the USS America Class LHA-6 makes a lot of sense from an operational cost point of view. Expeditionary Strike Groups with 20 F-35Bs and an EV-22/KV-22/V-22 COD will cost less to operate than a CSG. The EV-22 would be the only airframe non-reconfigurable due pressurization. The EV-22 will have to be at altitude to do any good with the radar.
DeleteE-2Ds are new builds. Between the list of minor modifications needed and the ancient airframes of the E-2Cs they wanted the new built everything. The Navy would like to have new built C-2D that as many of the same components as the E-2D as possible. I would put money on that the E-2C and C-2C will end up in the boneyard once they have been replaced and the Navy will never look back.
ReplyDeleteThe Navy have very limited storage space for spare parts and the commonality between the E-2 and C-2 has always been a big driving point. The Navy has no interest in keeping all the spare parts and additional maintenance personnel required for the MV-22.
Also the Navy has no interest in a MV-22 AEW variant. The USMC does, the Navy does not. The E-2D is completely out of the MV-22's league when it comes to that mission.
i was thinking the same thing but you said it much MUCH better.
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DeleteI don't know how this post moved from E-2D to COD replacement: a C-2 based on the E-2D would require reopening production for C-2 bodies, and would not bring some of the new capabilities that a V-22 COD would.
ReplyDeleteA C-2 can land on an airstrip, and a CVN, and that is it. A V-22 can fly from land, from carriers, from amphibious assault ships, probably from many supply ships, and some small combatants. If you want to move cargo to a destroyer 500 miles from the carrier, a C-2 can't, and helo doesn't have the legs, but an Osprey can easily do it, as long as the deck is big enough to land on.
I would not count the V-22 out as the next COD, or barring that, as an interim COD until the C-2's ultimate replacement comes on line, because sooner or later, the C-2 fleet will hit high time and be retired.
There has never been a suggestion that the EV-22 would or could replace an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. However, in this austere budgetary environment we may have to send Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESG) to handle hot spots around the globe. Many times the response does not require a full Carrier Strike Group (CSG). The ESG is the answer. We just do not have an AEW&C VSTOL capability at this point. There are a half dozen navies around the globe that are about to face the same problem. The question is how do they do AEW&C on a Helo/STOVL carrier. The V-22 airframe has much more space in the interior of the fuselage compared to a Hawkeye, probably five consoles worth is configured optimally. Pressurization can be installed at a significant weight penalty. However, the V-22 has aerial refueling capability. So . . . Bell/Boeing should take this opportunity to spend some development money and provide a capability that will soon be in high demand. A USS America (LHA-6) Light Carrier would be perfect for a port in any Pacific country friendly to the United States. It could even go to New Zealand and probably not be protested. The Marines are going to be in Australia soon in force so they will need the capability. I would station the USS America configured as a Light Carrier in Subic Bay as soon as facilities could be arranged. Its needed off the Spratly Islands at present.
ReplyDelete