USN seeks sharper data fusion for Advanced Hawkeye

The USN has ordered analysis tools and performance analysis to support improvements to its E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.

Work on a contract from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division will be performed by Toyon Research Corporation at four US locations for completion by July 2024.

‘Additionally, this order provides two E-2D Delta System Software Configuration (DSSC)-4 mission computer upgrade kits to support analysis of E-2D DSSC-4 in an operational environment, as well as develop system requirements to update the E-2D All-source Track and ID Fuser data fusion engine to accept data from tactical information web services,’ the DoD noted in a 3 May announcement.

This work feeds directly into efforts by the USN and industry to develop a method that would analyse different approaches of combining tracks from multiple disparate data sources, and identify the approach that results in the best overall track accuracy within the processing and time constraints available.

The USN in January 2022 received its final E-2D under the first multi-year procurement contract with Northrop Grumman.

The latest Advanced Hawkeye features the DSSC Build 3, which (according to Northrop Grumman) ‘provides an additional leap in operational effectiveness and technology’ with an aerial refuelling capability and a dwell-based tracker.

Shephard Defence Insight notes that the USN signed a $3.2 billion multi-year contract in 2019 to acquire 24 additional E-2D aircraft, with a production deadline of 2026.

Deliveries under this MYP 2 contract will begin in 2022.