Advanced Hawkeye makes first flight.

The first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye development aircraft, known as Delta One, built for the US Navy by prime contractor Northrop Grumman, completed its first flight on 3 August. At the heart of the aircraft is the new APY-9 radar, which can detect smaller targets and more of them at a greater range. The new rotodome contains an electronically scanned array that provides critically important, continuous, 360-clegree scanning. This capability allows flight operators to focus the radar on select areas of interest. The Advanced Hawkeye features new radar system workstations, integrated satellite communications capabilities and other cutting-edge tools to better manage the battlespace. An additional new feature of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is the state-of-the-art glass cockpit that replaces prior-generation displays and avionics systems. In addition, an advancement introduced in this version allows for one of the two pilots to serve as an additional operator when necessary. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will provide joint US forces and coalition partners' airborne battle management command and control from the sea, in both overland and over-water environments. Two test aircraft are being built under the system development and demonstration contract with Northrop Grumman Corporation. Delta One rolled off the production line at the corporation s St Augustine manufacturing facility and began ground test there in the spring. Delta Two has since joined it in ground test at the facility. Testing will continue at the St Augustine facility until the aircraft arrives at NAS Patuxent River in early 2009, where flight and operational testing will be completed by VX-20 and VX-1. The Advanced Hawkeye will begin arriving in E-2 squadrons in 2011 and is expected to serve the Fleet well into the middle of the next century.