Hawkeye E-2D (Indian Navy): US clears Hawkeye E-2D aircraft for India

[localoca]

The US government cleared yet another high technology system for sale to India, the signing of the End User Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) of military equipment being supplied or sold by the US to India.

You buy Yet another Weapon from the USA? Why? Russians are cheaper or heck just use your DRDO WACS, you guys need to start trusting your own tech...

Edit: you signed EUMA?

 

[angeldemon_007]

maybe an V22 AEW version (the only one that could be used at all IN carriers)

Is there any such version of V22 actually ??

Candidates for the shore based AWACS competition are:

I think IN has narrowed it down to Boeing’s B.737-based AEW & CS and IAI’s G-550 CAEW & CS for shore based AWACS competition...

 

[danger007]

is india going to aquire it

 

[Invincible INDIAN]

The US government cleared yet another high technology system for sale to India, the E-2D aircraft for Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and battle management.

The US Navy has programmed for 75 E-2D aircraft, which is an all-weather, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft designed to extend early warning surveillance capabilities. Acquisition cost per aircraft is estimated to be $235 million. Logistics analysts predict another $50 billion in MRO Sustainment costs spread over a 30-year life span.
Analysis
The US government cleared yet another high technology system for India, the shipboard capable Hawkeye E-2D aircraft for Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and battle management. The clearance has been described by diplomatic sources as a fall-out of the ''successful'' visit of secretary of state Hillary Clinton, and the signing of the End User Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) of military equipment being supplied or sold by the US to India.

India is the second country, after the UAE, to be cleared by the US state and defence departments for sale of this sophisticated system. The US navy has sanctioned $432 million for trials of the aircraft, currently underway at the naval air station Patuxent River in Maryland. The naval systems command based there provides engineering and testing support for new naval systems and weapons.
The Hawkeye E-2D has been under the US government's consideration for India for some time. In fact, in 2007, Pentagon sources in Washington indicated the aircraft was being cleared, but apparently the previous version, Hawkeye E-2C, was eventually offered to which the Indian navy said ''no'' in informal discussions.
Indian navy officers had witnessed the capabilities of the Hawkeye E-2C but told the US officials that as the equipment India buys would be used for years, it must be the best and the latest with future capability insertion potential. Future aircraft carriers of the Indian navy would also have to be equipped with catapult launching systems.

The aircraft is being manufactured by Northrop Grumman Corporation, a leading US player in aerospace, warships, missiles, combat radars and electronic warfare systems. The US Navy has programmed for 75 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) aircraft, which is an all-weather, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft designed to extend early warning surveillance capabilities. Acquisition cost per aircraft is estimated to be $235 million. Logistics analysts predict another $50 billion in MRO Sustainment costs spread over the 30-year life span of the E-2D AHE.

The initial operating capability for the E-2D AHE changed from April 2011 to October 2014 due to budget cuts in fiscal year 2009 and a change in the program’s definition of initial operating capability. The program changed initial capability from having a fleet squadron ready for testing to having a fleet squadron ready for operational deployment.
The E-2D AHE program has made progress in completing flight testing, particularly with respect to the radar system. Approximately 60 percent of the planned test points have been completed, with the remaining 40 percent scheduled for completion before initial operational test and evaluation in October 2011. Program officials plan to utilize both development aircraft and the first pilot production aircraft for mission systems testing to ensure testing is completed on time.
Analyses are so

US clears Hawkeye E-2D aircraft for India - GLG News

Please anyone confirm me if it will be with full TOT?
Being an US product, I have a doubt.

 

[Abingdonboy]

I think IN may go for a few shore based E2Ds initially and if/when IAC-2 comes out procure extra for such ACC there is already stipulation that it is to be 65,000+ tonnes and have steam catapult/ EMALS hence why IN has already floated a RFI for a N-MMRCA.

I wouldn't be too surprised if such orders were placed anytime soon as IN has been EXTENSIVLY breifed on such platform:
Indian Navy Mulls Northrop Advanced Hawkeye | AVIATION WEEK

 

[sancho]

Is there any such version of V22 actually ??

Not developed, but was proposed to the UK for their new carriers:

If the US wouldn't be so stubburn about their co-development rules and other restrictions, V22 would be a great base for a JV between HAL and Boeing. The V22 is the perfect aircraft for carrier based AEW and moreover as an anti submarine / maritime patrol aircraft below the P8, because it can be used like a normal aircraft, flying at higher altitude and speeds, but can also hover on a spot and use a dipping sonar like an ASW helicopter.
For IN it would be a great asset for as an MPA, be it for shore or carrier based operations!

I think IN has narrowed it down to Boeing’s B.737-based AEW & CS and IAI’s G-550 CAEW & CS for shore based AWACS competition...

Actually there is no real competition about it so far, but there is interest and the vendors offers their products, but the 737 AWACS would be an overkill imo. I prefer the DRDO AWACS, but wouldn't mind a higher number of E-2Ds, if we get them for the future carriers as well, maybe a combined deal with EMALS catapults.

Please anyone confirm me if it will be with full TOT?
Being an US product, I have a doubt.

No way! Because it will be a normal deal, where the aircrafts will be produced in the US, just like C130J, or P8I and ToT will not be provided in such deals, because it doesn't involve licence production.

 

[angeldemon_007]

If the US wouldn't be so stubburn about their co-development rules and other restrictions, V22 would be a great base for a JV between HAL and Boeing.

Was there any talks about this ?

The V22 is the perfect aircraft for carrier based AEW and moreover as an anti submarine / maritime patrol aircraft below the P8, because it can be used like a normal aircraft, flying at higher altitude and speeds, but can also hover on a spot and use a dipping sonar like an ASW helicopter.

V22 is too expensive for us...

Is our forces thinking about the purchase of V22 ??

 

[sancho]

Was there any talks about this ?

No, that was my opinon, but I don't have much hope about it anyway, because they even denied a minor JV for LCA, so such a bigger co-development is not going to happen, but good that they didn't get MMRCA, maybe that makes them to rethink a bit.


V22 is too expensive for us...

Is our forces thinking about the purchase of V22 ??

V22s were offered and demonstrated to the navy, but I agree, compared to normal helicopters it is too expensive. When we compare it to AWACS, or MPAs instead, things will be different again.

 

[Archie]

You buy Yet another Weapon from the USA? Why? Russians are cheaper or heck just use your DRDO WACS, you guys need to start trusting your own tech...

Edit: you signed EUMA?

well , we are building our own AWEC
we have also received the first of the 3 AWEC platforms from Brazil
Which our currently being integrated with Aesa Radar
Flight testing of platform is expected to begin by October before these aircrafts are delivered to IAF by 2013


Hawkeye E- 2D is actually a Aircraft carrier based AWAC
India will buy 4 of these to operate from IAC2
we are also looking at a new carrier based fighter for IAC2 and we issued RFI for the same , last yr
India is likely to choose between F35B/C , Rafale M and SeaTyphoon as its future carrier based fighter
40-50 of these aircrafts will be purchased complementing the 45 Mig29K currently being acquired

 

[Dash]

Shore based AEW crafts will of very minimal use, these crafts are optimized for carrier air defense protection, what will use them for?, to protect the shores?

Where did all these radars go?

 

[dbc]

Not developed, but was proposed to the UK for their new carriers:

If the US wouldn't be so stubburn about their co-development rules and other restrictions, V22 would be a great base for a JV between HAL and Boeing. The V22 is the perfect aircraft for carrier based AEW and moreover as an anti submarine / maritime patrol aircraft below the P8, because it can be used like a normal aircraft, flying at higher altitude and speeds, but can also hover on a spot and use a dipping sonar like an ASW helicopter.
For IN it would be a great asset for as an MPA, be it for shore or carrier based operations!

While I agree the V22 is ideal for STOBAR carriers, there is no business case for the V22 AEW, India and UK may order 10 or 12 V22's this is not enough.

 

[Archie]

infact india currently only plans to buy 4-6 navalised AWEC

 

[sancho]

While I agree the V22 is ideal for STOBAR carriers, there is no business case for the V22 AEW, India and UK may order 10 or 12 V22's this is not enough.

You seems to forget the carriers of Italy, Spain, or the LHDs of Australia, S. Korea, or Japan. The early 2 used Sea Harriers with ski-jump takeoff and vertical landing and are likely to get F35Bs in future, just like the latter countries considers F35Bs for their LHD and all those could only use AEW helicopter, or the more capable V22 AEW. Not to forget the USMC with their Wasp class LHDs, that will get the F35Bs as well and has no independent AEW capability so far!

India alone bought 6 x Ka 31 AEW helicopter for Gorshkov and IAC1, so IN plans with 3 each carrier and with V22s, they could go for 12 only for their 3 to 4 carriers. Add the USMC and the other countries and you easily have several potential customers, not to forget that there won't be much changes to convert a normal USMC V22 to an AEW versions, so the base platform will be the same anyway and could be used as an V22 MPA as well (taken some of the P8 systems would make much sense here in terms of commonality).

The only real performance issue could be range, but I'm not sure what range such an V22 version would have compared to the E-2, but it still should be clearly higher than helicopter AEWs. But costs per h and maintenance could be an issue, because the V22 is known to be expensive in this area, not sure about the E-2s though.

infact india currently only plans to buy 4-6 navalised AWEC

For the future carriers, but there is also the is also the shore based AWACS requirement and V22s could replace the older Ka 31 as well, because they are way more capable.

 

[MumbaiIndians]

E-2D is too old and outdated now.

Better divert that money to DRDO-AWACS and buy stakes in Embraer and make a Naval version for it.

 

[Archie]

E-2D is too old and outdated now.

Better divert that money to DRDO-AWACS and buy stakes in Embraer and make a Naval version for it.

U are confusing E-2D with E-2C
E-2C is a 30 yr old AWEC operated by USNAVY
E-2D is its successor which will replace it starting 2013
US Navy has ordered 75 E-2D Hawkeye costing A TOTAL OF 50 Billion USD

If India is to order 4 such platforms , then it could cost India upwards of 3 Billion USD
which is twice the cost of 3 Falcons being acquired by India