The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye has achieved a milestone in cooperative airpower by completing in-flight refuelling with three French tanker platforms for the first time, the UK Defence Journal understands.

Tests carried out this summer saw the U.S. Navy’s command-and-control aircraft refuel from French Rafale, A330 MRTT, and A400M aircraft. The effort was coordinated between the E-2/C-2 Airborne Command & Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) and France’s procurement agency, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), with support from the French Navy and Air Force.

According to U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, the trials extend the E-2D’s endurance and enable more seamless integration in multinational operations.

The aircraft is described as the most advanced command-and-control platform in the world, with its APY-9 radar system designed to track modern threats in littoral, overland and open-ocean environments.

The E-2D entered service as a successor to the E-2C Hawkeye, introducing what the Navy calls a two-generation leap in capability through improved sensors, supportability and readiness. With aerial refuelling, the platform can remain on station for longer periods to provide continuous airborne surveillance and battle management.

France became the second international customer of the E-2D in December 2020, ordering three aircraft to replace its E-2C fleet from 2028. DGA and the French Navy plan to continue refuelling trials and training to support that transition.

Lisa West
Lisa has a degree in Media & Communication from Glasgow Caledonian University and works with industry news, sifting through press releases in addition to moderating website comments.

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