Scramble's  May 2023 Military Updates already mentioned the procurement of five additional Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkey Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft included in the Japanese Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Budget. In July 2024 the company was awarded with the contract to actually produce these five aircraft for the Nihon Koku-Jieitai or Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

 

These five bring up the total number of procured E-2D Hawkeyes to eighteen as one was included in the FY2015 budget, one in FY2016, probably two in a modified FY2018 budget, nine in a bulk procurement in FY2019 and now the five in FY2023.

 

To date, nine E-2Ds are operational with eight confirmed as delivered to the Hiko Keikai Kanshigun at Misawa, probably all with 601 Hikotai. One aircraft (91-3472) could still be in the United States as it was last seen in October 2022 at Melbourne (FL) in US markings.

 

The status of the original thirteen E-2C Hawkeyes is a little sketchy as only six were seen active in the last year and three others confirmed as stored at Gifu. The operational aircraft include three E-2Cs which were modified and now have 8-bladed props, not to be confused with the E-2D.