The Egyptian military is exploring the option of adding the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to it’s inventory.
The E-2D Hawkeye aircraft made by Northrop Grumman is as an all-weather airborne early-warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
According to a briefing by Captain Pete Arrobio with Naval Air Systems Command (Navair), during the United States Navy League’s annual Sea-Air-Space conference, which was held on 3 August outside Washington, DC. Egypt and Taiwan are in discussions to acquire the E-2D while France and Japan are about to acquire the type.
Egypt already fields several airborne early warning aircraft, including E-2C Hawkeyes, C-130H Hercules electronics intelligence (ELINT) aircraft, several Beech 1900 ELINT aircraft.
The North African country first acquired six E-2C Hawkeyes between 1986 and 1993, and in late 1999, Egypt spent approximately $138 million for the upgrade of its five Hawkeyes to Hawkeye 2000 standard under a Navy FMS contract.
The Hawkeye 2000 standard comes with an APS-145 radar and upgraded mission computer, tactical mission system displays and navigation system, able to track more than 2,000 targets simultaneously at a range of over 640 km and control 40–100 intercepts.
In June 2001, Northrop Grumman Corporation was contracted to deliver an E-2C Hawkeye 2000 export configuration aircraft to Egypt. However,
Also, in 2003 and 2010, Egypt received a second-hand E-2C that was modernised to Hawkeye 2000 standard, and a Hawkeye 2000.
The next-generation E-2D Advanced Hawkeye has a new Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors AN/APY-9 solid-state, electronically steered UHF radar system, missile defence capabilities, multi-sensor integration and a Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems tactical glass cockpit.
The type has a secondary role of strike command and control, surveillance, airborne control of search and rescue missions and can act as a relay to extend the range of communications.
The new E-2D Hawkeye aircraft will coordinate airborne operation of Egypts large fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcon, Mirage 2000, as well as newly delivered Rafale, MiG-29M, and Sukhoi Su-35.
For the past 10 years, the Egyptian military has been upgrading it’s surveillance capacity by acquiring modern radar systems.
On the landward side, Egypt has recently taken delivery of four units of French-made Thales Ground Master 400 (GM400) AESA air defense radars. These long-range, mobile, 3D radar system has a maximum range of up to 515Km.
The Ground Master 3D air surveillance radar, provides C2 centres with superior situational awareness at all times.
Likewise in 2017, the Egyptian Armed Forces took delivery of a new advanced 3D advanced early warning surveillance radar called 59N6E Protivnik-GE 3D from Russia.
