_Northrop Grumman press release_
The ceremony brought together representatives from the French Navy, Northrop Grumman, Naval Air Systems Command and Navy International Programs Office.
This milestone puts France on course to field the world’s premier airborne command and control aircraft.
* Northrop Grumman is contracted to produce three E-2D aircraft, the first of which is scheduled for delivery in 2027.
* The E-2Ds will replace France’s E-2C Hawkeye 2000 fleet, which has been in operation for over 25 years.
* The E-2D brings significant enhancements over its predecessors, including the ability for aerial refueling.
Janice Zilch, vice president, multi-domain command and control programs, Northrop Grumman: _“Our partnership with France goes back over 25 years. We are proud to have supported the French Navy with the Hawkeye 2000, and we look forward to providing a generational leap in decision dominance with the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.”_
Northrop Grumman’s E-2C Hawkeye 2000, which entered service with the French Navy in 1998, provides air defense and supports the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group. France is the only country other than the U.S. to operate its E-2C Hawkeyes from an aircraft carrier. This capability has enabled interoperability exercises that support Hawkeyes and other aircraft from the French and U.S. fleets.
Northrop Grumman’s [E-2D Advanced Hawkeye](https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/e-2d-advanced-hawkeye/) is the latest in a line of AEW aircraft that stretches back over 60 years. The E-2D is the world’s premier Airborne Command & Control aircraft, effective over land and sea. Northrop Grumman has evolved the E-2D into a cutting-edge platform, capable of facing threats anywhere in the world.
E-2 variants are operated by air forces and navies around the world. With an active production line and a 100% on-time delivery history, the E-2D continues to introduce new technology to outpace ever-evolving threats.
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