Taiwanese company Aerospace Industrial Development Center has signed a memorandum of understanding with Northrop Grumman to upgrade Taiwan’s E-2K Hawkeyes.
Representatives from the defense companies signed the agreement at the Singapore Airshow for the project to take place in Taiwan.
Taipei currently has five E-2Ks in service, three of which were acquired from the US in 1995.
The time frame of the upgrades has not been disclosed.
Repair Challenges
Northrop’s involvement with the E-2K program underlines the importance of capability upgrades, as well as Taiwan’s struggles to repair a damaged aircraft following a landing accident in 2022.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the improper use of the landing gear caused of the accident.
Taiwan decided to scrap the airframe as the repairs would prove to be too costly, estimated to be around $65 million.
Aerospace Industrial Development Center was chosen for the upgrade project due to its manufacturing facilities certified by the US Defense Contract Management Agency, highlighting the company’s ability to produce critical components for the aircraft.
The E-2K Hawkeye
Northrop’s E-2K Hawkeye is an all-weather tactical airborne early warning aircraft designed for battle management and command and control.
It utilizes APS-145 radars capable of simultaneously tracking up to 2,000 targets at ranges greater than 550 kilometers (341 miles).
Its operators include Japan, Mexico, and France, which in 2023 also signed a sustainment deal with Northrop.