The rapid development of jet aviation in the first post-war decades, an increase in the speed and range of combat aircraft, as well as the creation in the USSR of sea and air-based anti-ship cruise missiles, sharply raised the issue of protecting American aircraft carrier groups. If the first Soviet air-launched anti-ship missile KS-1 "Kometa" with a launch range of about 90 km had a transonic flight speed, then the K-10S anti-ship missile, which appeared less than 10 years later, accelerated to a speed of more than 2000 km / h, with a launch range of up to 300 km.
With an almost twofold increase in speed, the interception line was significantly reduced, and the time during which air defense systems could affect the target was reduced. At these anti-ship missile speeds, interceptor fighters had little chance of chasing them, and a head-on attack was very difficult. All this created the preconditions for a breakthrough of the anti-ship missile system to the ship's warrant, which, taking into account the possible equipping of anti-ship missiles with "special" combat units, threatened the destruction of the entire squadron.
The simplest way to counter this threat was to intercept the anti-ship missile carriers before they reached the missile launch line. For this, in addition to long-range supersonic interceptors armed with long-range guided missiles, deck-based AWACS aircraft with powerful radars were required, capable of conducting long patrols at a considerable distance from the aircraft carrier and confidently detecting targets against the background of the sea surface.
The E-1B Tracer aircraft, which was discussed in the first part of the review, did not meet the requirements and was considered by the admirals as a temporary measure. The main disadvantages of this aircraft were the lack of an automated system for transmitting radar conditions on board and the limited ability to control the actions of fighters. In addition, the anti-submarine S-2F Tracker with air-cooled piston engines was used as a platform. The radar of the E-1B Tracer aircraft, operating in the short wave range, did not allow reliable detection of targets against the background of the underlying surface. As a result, "Tracers" were forced to fly at low altitude and scan the airspace in the upper hemisphere, and in this case, the target detection range was sharply reduced.
The complexity of creating a truly effective carrier-based AWACS aircraft was also in the fact that the Navy demanded to ensure its placement on the old modernized aircraft carriers of the Essex type, which were built during the Second World War. The terms of reference for the new "air radar picket" required the integration of the onboard equipment of the radar information transmission system with the tactical data processing system (NTDS) installed on the aircraft carrier.
Combat post of the NTDS system
Tests of the prototype aircraft with the AN / APS-96 radar began in 1961. In the summer of 1962, in connection with the reform of the armed forces and a change in the designation system, the car received the E-2A index and its own name Hawkeye (English hawkeye). Two antennas, a surveillance radar and a state identification system, were placed in a rotating dish with a diameter of 7, 3 meters above the fuselage. To save space on the aircraft carrier, the wings of the aircraft could be folded.
Deck aircraft AWACS E-2A Hawkeye
Unlike earlier carrier-based AWACS aircraft, the Hawkeye was not created on the basis of other aircraft, but was developed from scratch. Moreover, subsequently, the designers of the Grumman company within the framework of the Carrier Onboard Delivery program (English cargo delivery on board) based on the E-2A Hawkeye built a C-2 Greyhound transport aircraft, designed to deliver cargo to an aircraft carrier at sea.
C-2 Greyhound and E-2 Hawkeye
With a maximum take-off weight of about 23,500 kg, with 5,700 liters of fuel on board, without refueling in the air, the E-2A flight duration exceeded 6 hours. The aircraft could patrol at a distance of 320 km, which, with a detection range of about 200 km, moved the air target detection line from the aircraft carrier by more than 500 km. The aircraft crew consisted of 5 people: 2 pilots, 2 radar operators and a control officer.
However, the E-2A, whose operation began in January 1964, was never able to displace piston engines with outdated lamp stations from the decks of aircraft carriers. The onboard equipment of the first "Hokaevs", built in the amount of 59 copies, was constantly capricious. Computing systems on magnetic carriers refused to work, and the radar often failed due to overheating. In addition, the first version of the Hawaiian did not have equipment associated with the NTDS system. When working in coastal areas, the AN / APS-96 station, which detected targets against the background of the water surface, touching the land with the radar beam, gave out screen illumination and could only see high-altitude targets. Taking into account all of these shortcomings, the E-2A Hawkeye AWACS could not satisfy the American admirals, the more spacious, lifting and high-speed compared to the E-1B Tracer. Moreover, a few years after the start of operation, the entire E-2A fleet, due to the corrosion of the airframe and problems with the reliability of the avionics, fell into a non-flying state.
At the hearings in Congress, representatives of the Navy were forced to explain how this could happen, why the plane with serious flaws was adopted. As a result, the firm "Grumman" had to modify the released aircraft, carry out anti-corrosion treatment and make serious changes to the composition of onboard electronics. First of all, the AN / ASA-27 computer underwent revision. In order to increase directional stability, the tail area was increased. Of the 59 built E-2A, 51 were upgraded to the E-2B level.
Aircraft AWACS E-2B after landing on the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
In 1974, deliveries of the E-2S deck-based AWACS aircraft began. Compared to earlier modifications, most of the shortcomings have been eliminated on this aircraft. Externally, the aircraft differed little from the E-2B. It became a little longer (by 30 cm), the bow of the cockpit became more streamlined, and the internal differences were much more significant. Thanks to the use of the new AN / APS-120 radar, the ability to detect low-altitude targets has expanded, and the ability to confidently detect targets against the background of the earth has appeared. The composition of the navigation equipment has changed, the reliability has increased and the accuracy of determining the coordinates on the patrol route has improved. The avionics included a passive radio reconnaissance station, which made it possible to detect enemy aircraft, recording the operation of radio technical systems (ESBL, radio altimeter, communication and navigation equipment) without turning on its own radar.
According to historians of the US Navy, the AN / ALR-59 passive radio system, the antenna, which is installed in an enlarged nose cone compared to previous modifications, is capable of detecting radiation sources, determining their location and identifying by the signal spectrum at a distance even greater than the radar can do. AN / APS-120. Finally, as part of the avionics of the aircraft, workable equipment of the system for transmitting radar information to the command post of the aircraft carrier appeared. At the same time, the transmission was carried out over a closed channel using a narrow-beam antenna, in the case of organized interference, a transition to a reserve frequency was envisaged. In addition to the new on-board equipment, the aircraft received more powerful Allison T56-A-425 engines of 4910 hp each.each, which in turn allowed to increase the amount of fuel on board.
E-2C Hawkeye
As the E-2C arrived, they replaced the E-2B modification aircraft, the last of which was sent to the storage base in 1988. Although the characteristics of the avionics of the E-2S modification were at a high level from the very beginning, its continuous improvement was carried out, which was spurred on by the adoption of more and more effective anti-ship missiles in the USSR.
Workstations of radar operators of one of the first E-2C
At the end of 1976, construction began on the Hokaev with the AN / APS-125 radar. The E-2S AWACS aircraft equipped with AN / APS-125 radar, patrolling at an altitude of 9000 meters, could detect more than 750 air targets at a distance of up to 450 km and guide 30 fighters. To increase the speed of data processing, the analog computer was replaced by a digital one. Until 1984, the AN / APS-125 station was mounted on all E-2C combatants.
In the mid-80s, the US Navy managed to put into practice the effective combat interaction of the E-2C Hawkeye AWACS and the F-14A Tomcat carrier-based fighter-interceptors. The aircraft were able to exchange radar information and transmit it to other interceptors. According to American estimates, such a structure of combat work made it possible to halve the number of fighters on patrol. During the Cold War, the air defense forces of an aircraft carrier formation usually included one E-2C AWACS and a pair of F-14A interceptors, patrolling in an area at a distance of 100-120 km from the basing ship, in the altitude range of 4500-7500 meters.
Since 1983, all the newly built "Hokai" began to equip the AN / APS-139 radar, capable of detecting and tracking low-speed air and surface targets. In the event of an active radio jamming by the enemy, it was envisaged to switch to one of 10 fixed operating frequencies. Simultaneously with the improvement of the radar, work was carried out to improve the entire avionics. By the beginning of the 80s, the E-2C received more advanced passive AN / ALR-73 electronic reconnaissance stations.
Operator workplaces of one of the later versions of E-2C
Since August 1989, deliveries of aircraft with even more powerful and economical Allison T56-A-427 and. In the future, the aircraft were equipped with satellite navigation receivers, new computers, tactical information display equipment and communication equipment.
Replacement of the propeller group on the E-2C Hawkeye
In 2004, almost simultaneously with the installation of the AN / APS-145 radar, the aircraft instead of the previous four-bladed ones received new eight-blade NP2000 propellers made of carbon fiber reinforced with steel inserts. At the same time, the engine management system was modernized. After the introduction of digital controllers and sensors into its composition, the response time to changes in thrust was significantly reduced, and fuel efficiency improved. Thanks to this innovation, takeoff and landing characteristics, range and duration of flight have increased. A significant part of the aircraft built in the 80s, which had an even greater flight resource, were upgraded to the Hawkeye 2000 level.
Eight-blade propeller NP2000
During the hostilities in Afghanistan in 2003, the E-2C, assigned to the aircraft carrier Enterprise, operating from the Bagram airbase, not only coordinated the flights of the allied forces and controlled the airspace in the region, but also relayed radio communications and conducted radio-technical reconnaissance. Aircraft with updated avionics have demonstrated the ability to act as air command posts, interacting in real time with ground forces. In 2014, several E-2C squadrons of the 124th Bear Aces Squadron, operating from the aircraft carrier George W. Bush, were used as flying command posts and air traffic controllers over Iraq during strikes against Islamists.
The most advanced modification to date is the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. This aircraft, which first took to the air in 2007, introduced the most modern developments to improve the working conditions of the crew. In addition to the new communication, navigation and data display and processing equipment, the most notable innovation was the installation of the AN / APY-9 radar with AFAR.
According to officially unconfirmed information, this station is capable of detecting high-altitude aerial targets at a distance of more than 600 km. And thanks to the high energy potential, it is effective to control flights of aircraft made using the technology of low radar signature. It is noted that the later modifications of the E-2C Hawkeye fully met the requirements of the Navy, and the appearance of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is primarily associated with the beginning of tests in Russia and China of the 5th generation fighters T-50, Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-31 …
E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
In addition to directing the actions of interceptors armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, the Advanced Hawkeye AWACS aircraft should issue target designations to the ship's long-range anti-aircraft missiles RIM-174 Standard ERAM (SM-6).
The handover of the first E-2D to the Navy took place in early 2010. On September 27, 2011, the E-2D was successfully launched from an electromagnetic catapult at Lakehurst AFB. This airbase in New Jersey is an analogue of the Russian test-training complex NITKA in Crimea. But, unlike the Russian facility, there are several catapults of various types here. Shortly before testing the E-2D, the F / A-18 Hornet fighter was launched from an electromagnetic catapult.
Satellite image of Google Earth: aviation parking at Lakehurst air base
As of June 2014, Northrop Grumman had a contract with the US Navy for $ 3.6 billion. This contract provides for the supply of 25 aircraft, while the total production of E-2D for the US Navy should be at least 75 vehicles by 2020.
Aircraft of the radar patrol on an ongoing basis are operated by eleven American early warning squadrons assigned to aircraft carriers and in the 20th Flight Test Squadron of the Navy at Patexen River Air Force Base in Maryland. During a long stay of an aircraft carrier at the quay wall at the base, most of the aircraft wing, as a rule, is located at a land airfield.
Satellite image of Google Earth: aircraft E-2C and C-2A at Norfolk air base
To date, the E-2C (Hawkeye 2000) and E-2D modifications are the most advanced deck-based AWACS aircraft. As representatives of the American fleet note, these aircraft are second only to the American Boeing E-3C Sentry and the Russian A-50U in terms of their capabilities, but these are much heavier and more expensive machines that require major long runways.
According to information from the official website of Northrop Grumman, more than 200 deck-mounted Hokai have been built in total. It is obvious that the aircraft designed in the early 50s turned out to be very successful and had a great modernization potential. At the same time, the airframe did not undergo noticeable changes, and all the improvements were reduced to improving the avionics and engines.
Deck AWACS aircraft are used not only by the Navy, but also leased by the US Customs Service. Khokai are used to detect violations of the air and sea borders and to curb drug trafficking. However, the command of the Navy is very reluctant to select vehicles and crews from the combat deck air wings, and therefore the Customs Service for the most part uses its own aircraft based on anti-submarine Orions.
Satellite image of Google Earth: aircraft E-2C and P-3 AEW at Point Mugu airbase
Until recently, the US Coast Guard had five E-2C squadrons. The AWACS aircraft of the Coast Guard were considered as a capable operational reserve of the Navy. Basically, the coastal squadrons served as E-2Cs of the early series, replaced on aircraft carriers by vehicles with more advanced avionics. However, the Americans were in no hurry to part with the not new, but still quite efficient aircraft. They, as well as the patrol aircraft of the Customs Service, were involved to control the illegal entry of aircraft and ships into the country. Thus, the E-2C crews of the 77th Night Wolves early warning squadron, while patrolling from the beginning of October 2003 to April 2004, revealed more than 120 cases of illegal entry into the United States. In a number of cases, aircraft during anti-drug operations are deployed not only at American airfields, but also abroad. In 2011-2012, E-2C aircraft were deployed at an airfield in Colombia, which made it possible to intercept 17 large consignments of cocaine worth $ 735 million. their technique for storage. It is proposed to compensate for the loss of opportunities for border control with the help of balloon and over-the-horizon coastal radars.
In addition to its success as a carrier-based AWACS aircraft, it turned out that the Hawkeye has excellent export potential. Many small states, based on the cost-effectiveness criterion, preferred the E-2C, rather than the larger and more expensive E-3 AWACS.
Israel became the first foreign buyer of E-2C in 1981. During the Lebanese company in 1982, four AWACS aircraft were among the central characters in the battles that unfolded in the air. The presence of the Israelis "Hokayev" made it possible to effectively control the actions of their combat aircraft, which was one of the reasons for the defeat of Syria in air battles over the Bekaa Valley. Aircraft E-2C in Israel were used very intensively, during the armed confrontation in Lebanon, at least one "air radar picket" constantly patrolled around the clock under the protection of F-15 Eagles fighters.
At one time, Russian technical publications and the media circulated information that the E-2S, which approached the Syrian border, was shot down by an S-200V long-range air defense missile system. However, this is not true, and all references to the fact that the Americans urgently handed over to Israel a new plane to replace the downed one are untenable. It is known that in Israel information about the dead servicemen is mandatory for open publication, and it is impossible to hide the death of an aircraft with a crew. It is likely that the launch of an anti-aircraft missile at the "Hokai", which entered the far zone of destruction of the air defense system, did indeed take place. But we can say with confidence that the radar operators, having detected the launch of the missile defense system at a great distance, would not indifferently watch the approaching missile and promptly informed the pilots about it. The crew had enough time to carry out the evasion maneuver, having gone below the radio horizon of the target illumination radar of the S-200V air defense missile system.
In 1994, Israeli aircraft, even earlier than the American E-2Cs, received mid-air refueling equipment, as well as new radars, information display monitors and communications. In 2002, three of the four Israeli AWACS aircraft were sold to Mexico, and one took a place in a memorial site at the Israeli Air Force Museum in Hatzerim.
The Mexican E-2C, which underwent repair and modernization at the IAI enterprise in 2004, flew until 2012. They flew several times a month to control the maritime economic zone, and periodically participated in operations to combat drug trafficking in the Gulf of Mexico.
Satellite image of Google Earth: aircraft of the Mexican Navy E-2C at the Las Bajadas airfield
In 2012, due to the unsatisfactory technical condition, the aircraft were stored at the Las Bajadas airfield, and at the end of 2013 they were “disposed of”. There is reason to believe that the Mexican Navy may soon receive several used American E-2Cs. At the very least, negotiations on this were conducted and the United States is interested in Mexico assuming part of the costs of combating illegal drug trafficking.
The French Navy has become the only foreign customer to operate the E-2C from the deck of an aircraft carrier. In total, the French acquired three Hawaiians. As a rule, during the cruise, there are two AWACS aircraft on board the Charles de Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier. Currently, the French vehicles are in turn being upgraded to the Hawkeye 2000 level with the upgrade of avionics and the installation of new propellers. In the recent past, the French E-2Cs coordinated the actions of the deck-based Super Etandars and Rafale during air strikes in Afghanistan and Libya. France is currently considering the purchase of several E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.
After the Japanese ground radars in September 1976 were unable to timely detect in their airspace the newest Soviet fighter-interceptor MiG-25P, hijacked by the traitor Belenko, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces expressed a desire to receive AWACS aircraft. As conceived by the Japanese, "air radar pickets" were to prevent the breakthrough of foreign aircraft at low altitude.
Japanese E-2C
In total, in the 80s, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces received 13 E-2Cs. On these aircraft, information display indicators and communication facilities were replaced by Japanese-made equipment. Since January 1987, all Japanese Hokai have been stationed at Misawa airbase. In connection with the development of the E-2C resource, the Japanese government in 2015 applied for the purchase of 4 E-2D.
Egypt became another operator of the E-2C in the Middle East. The first aircraft arrived in 1987. In total, this country until 2010 acquired 7 aircraft, all of them upgraded to the Hawkeye 2000 level.
Satellite image of Google Earth: Egyptian aircraft E-2C and C-130H at the West Cairo airbase
In 2015, the Hawaiians coordinated the actions of Egyptian F-16Cs in the bombing of Islamist positions in Libya. All E-2Cs of the Egyptian Air Force are concentrated at the West Cairo airbase.
Simultaneously with Egypt in 1987, four E-2Cs were acquired by Singapore. These cars did not live too long in a humid tropical climate. In April 2007, it was announced that they would be replaced by four Gulfstream G550 AEWS AWACS aircraft with equipment from the Israeli company Elta Systems Ltd. The deal, which also involves the American corporation Gulfstream Aerospace, is worth $ 1 billion.
A sharp reaction from Beijing was caused by the sale in 1995 to Taiwan of four AWACS E-2T aircraft. In response to criticism from Chinese officials, the Americans stated that old aircraft built in the 1970s did not pose any threat to the PRC's security and could not change the balance of power in the region. In fact, the United States was cunning. The E-2Bs, taken from the Davis-Montan storage base, were equipped with the most modern equipment after a major overhaul, and the Taiwanese aircraft were not inferior in their capabilities to the E-2C built in the late 80s.
Satellite image of Google Earth: AWACS aircraft of the Air Force of the Republic of China at Pingdong airbase
In the period from 2011 to 2013, the AWACS aircraft of the Air Force of the Republic of China were modernized in the United States according to the Hawkeye 2000 standard and received the designation E-2K. Based on satellite imagery, Taiwanese AWACS aircraft based at Pingtung airbase in the southern part of the island are very actively exploited. At least there is not a single picture where the wings were folded on these machines.
In the past, in addition to the countries that purchased Hawkeye aircraft, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Pakistan have shown interest in them. At the moment, India is discussing the possibility of acquiring six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye with a possible option for four more aircraft. Currently, the Indian Navy, which is actively building an aircraft carrier fleet, is in dire need of modern radar patrol aircraft. The United States, worried about the sharp increase in the PLA's naval capabilities, views India as a counterweight to the PRC and is selling the most advanced types of weapons to Delhi.
Landing aircraft AWACS E-2D on the deck of an aircraft carrier
As for the carrier-based AWACS aircraft, we can confidently assert that the process of improving the Hawaiian is not complete and the E-2D is not the last modification. In the future, there will probably be new versions of this aircraft with even more advanced avionics. This is primarily due to the extremely successful base platform, which was registered on the decks of aircraft carriers for many years. And although the beginning of the E-2A's career was not very successful, the manufacturer, together with naval specialists, managed to successfully overcome all difficulties. For more than half a century, Hawkeye has served on aircraft carriers and coastal airfields.
