Taiwan requests delivery of six E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes

The authorities of the Republic of China (Taiwan) have requested the United States to deliver six Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. It is intended that these will replace the remaining five E-2K Hawkeyes, with an additional unit to compensate for the Hawkeye lost on 25 November 2022, after a landing incident.

It is no surprise that the island state is seeking advanced over-the-horizon aircraft with the growing military aggression of the People's Republic of China in mind. Chinese incursions have shown a steady increase, and the development of Chinese stealth aircraft is causing growing concern within the Taiwanese government.

With this request, Taiwan wants to make use of the active Hawkeye production line of Northrop Grumman. The manufacturer is currently building Hawkeyes for Japan and has begun production of the first E-2D for the Marine Nationale (French Navy) as part of an order for three aircraft.

The new E-2D Advanced Hawkeye represents a significant technological advancement over the E-2K currently in service with the Chung-Hua Min Guo Kong Jun (Taiwan Air Force). Originally delivered in 1995 as E-2Ts, subsequent upgrades resulted in the E-2K by 2013.

Major differences between the old and the new platform are advanced radar and sensors that offer superior multiple target detection and tracking capabilities. The AN/APY-9 radar has a range of 350 nautical miles and is designed to detect small and highly maneuverable targets. Taiwan believes that this will be critical in the defense against the new Chinese stealth jets.

Delivery dates for the Taiwanese aircraft are yet unclear. The French Hawkeyes are expected to be delivered in 2027, while the additional Japanese aircraft - five on top of the original order of 13 - are scheduled for delivery in 2028.

Credit photos: Hans Jacobs and Marco Dirkx (both Scramble Archive)