E-2D Block II Upgrade Advances For US Navy

The US Navy is moving forward with upgrades to its Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, aiming to keep the aircraft in service into the 2040s. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Block II program passed its critical design review in August 2026, according to the source report.

Flight tests are scheduled to begin in Fiscal 2029. The core of the Block II upgrade is a new software foundation designed for rapid capability insertion.

E-2D Block II Design And Contract

The Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation (PAE) stated the upgrade represents the next evolution of Delta System Software Configuration 6 (DSSC-6). It "delivers the software foundation for rapid capability insertion." The PAE also explained the modernization introduces a state-of-the-art cockpit architecture, increased computing power, an Open Mission Systems framework, and robust cybersecurity.

These improvements are intended to ensure the E-2D remains the premier node for airborne command and control. The new architecture also helps overcome parts obsolescence. In July 2026, the Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a $1.19 billion contract for the first three Block II E-2Ds.

Hawkeye's Role And Operators

The Hawkeye is built around the AN/APY-9 active electronically scanned array radar. Following 2026's Operation Epic Fury, US Fleet Forces commander Admiral Karl Thomas said the Hawkeyes were key to detecting missile and drone threats from Iran in the early days of the conflict. He stated, "Quite frankly, it's the best that we have at detecting that type of thing."

The Navy contracted for another three E-2Ds in 2026, with the first delivery slated for 2030. In Fiscal 2027 budget documents, the service asked for funding to purchase another six Block II aircraft. The Navy says it needs 86 Hawkeyes.

Other operators of the E-2 Hawkeye family include Egypt, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, and France. France is the only other country to operate them from an aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle. In 2025, the US Air Force said it would cancel E-7 Wedgetail purchases and buy five E-2Ds as a stopgap, but after Epic Fury it reportedly recommitted to the Wedgetail.

Link To Next-Generation Systems

The Block II's Open Mission Systems are framed by Navy and Northrop officials as a bridge to "sixth-generation command and control." The upgrade is intended to be connective tissue, letting the E-2D quarterback a mixed fleet. This includes future manned sixth-gen fighters like the Navy's planned F/A-XX and unmanned systems such as Collaborative Combat Aircraft and the MQ-25 Stingray.

The greater processing power, modern interfaces, and high-capacity data exchange of Block II provide a foundation for integrating drones and future combat aircraft more quickly. The aircraft's three mission operators will manage the battle, performing a 'quarterback' role that would be extremely difficult to replicate inside a single-seat stealth fighter.