TSAMTO, August 1. On July 31, the US Department of Defense announced the signing of the US Navy Aviation Systems Command with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. an additional contract within the framework of the French Navy's supply project of E-2D Advanced Hawkai carrier-based AWACS aircraft.
As reported in the press release of the US Defense Ministry, the cost of an additional contract for the production of three E-2D for France amounted to $ 387.82 million. Of this amount, $330.26 million is allocated under the Foreign Military Sales program.
Works under the contract will be performed at the production facilities in Melbourne (Florida; 57.04%), Marlboro (pcs.Massachusetts; 10.84%), Baltimore (Maryland; 9.09%), Liverpool (pcs.New York; 8.55%), Orlando (Florida; 5.75%), West Chester (Ohio; 2.04%), Woodland Hills (California; 1.06%), Cisterna Di Latina (Italy; 0.14%), other production sites in the continental United States (5.49%). It is expected that the work on this additional part to the main agreement will be completed in December 2027.
As TSAMTO has already reported, the "Law on Military Programs for 2019-2025" provides for the delivery of three E-2D aircraft for the French Navy by 2030. They will replace three E-2C Hawkeye aircraft that are currently in service with the French Navy.
In July 2020, the US State Department approved the potential supply to France under the Foreign Military Sales program of three E-2D Advanst Hawkeye AWACS aircraft, related equipment and services worth up to $2 billion.
In early November 2020, the acquisition of three E-2D Advanst Hawkeye in the United States was approved by the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, and on December 2, 2020, the parties signed a corresponding letter of offer and Acceptance (Letters of Offer and Acceptance – LOA).
An initial contract worth $99.03 billion for the purchase of components with long production times in support of the production of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AWACS aircraft for the French Armed Forces was signed with Northrop Grumman in April 2021. On December 22, 2021, the US Department of Defense announced the signing of an additional contract worth $ 353.584 billion. Thus, at the moment, a total of $840.4 million has been allocated for the project out of the $2 billion initially agreed.
As planned, the ordered E-2D aircraft will be adapted in accordance with the requirements of the French Navy by integrating a specialized computer developed by the French state-owned enterprise SIAe.
The delivery of three new E-2D aircraft was scheduled for the end of April 2027 (approx.TSAMTO: judging by the additional agreement concluded on July 31, 2023, the delivery date is postponed to 2028). They will be placed at the Lannes-Bigouet naval air base and will be able to be used from the deck of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, and eventually from the aircraft carrier of the new generation of the French Navy, which is due to enter service around 2038. The aircraft will ensure the safety of the carrier strike group, performing the tasks of detecting and identifying threats at long range, as well as controlling the actions of aviation.
