The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the earlier, piston-engined E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete. The aircraft's performance has been upgraded with the E-2B and E-2C versions, where most of the changes were made to the radar and radio communications due to advances in electronic integrated circuits and other electronics. The fourth major version of the Hawkeye is the E-2D, which first flew in 2007. The E-2 was the first aircraft designed specifically for its role, as opposed to a modification of an existing airframe, such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry. Variants of the Hawkeye have been in continuous production since 1960, giving it the longest production run of any carrier-based aircraft.
The E-2 also received the nickname "Super Fudd" because it replaced the WF (later E-1) "Willy Fudd". In recent decades, the E-2 has been commonly referred to as the "Hummer" because of the distinctive sounds of its turboprop engines, quite unlike that of turbojet and turbofan jet engines. In addition to U.S. Navy service, smaller numbers of E-2s have been sold to the armed forces of Egypt, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and Taiwan.
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 116 (VAW-116) is a US Navy Command and Control Squadron that deploys aboard USS Nimitz as part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen, flying the E-2C Hawkeye 2000 aircraft. VAW-116 is stationed at Naval Base Ventura County under the cognizance of Commander, Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing (COMACCLOGWING). The current commanding officer is Commander Lawrence D. Nance.
Produced by Consolidated Aircraft, the PBY Catalina was a flying boat which later became an amphibious aircraft, used by several countries in the 1930’s and 1940’s. It is a long range aircraft,...
The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used...
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's...
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The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a multi-mission military tilt-rotor aircraft, with both a vertical take-off and landing and short take-off and landing capabilities. As a helicopter-airplane hybrid,...
The Douglas A-1 Skyraider is a piston-powered, propeller driven military attack aircraft that was operated by the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force...
After 30 years in service the Blackbird still looks like a 21st century aircraft. The SR-71's mission was strategic reconnaissance. One of the fastest planes ever built, it reached a top speed of...
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It...
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by...
