Lockheed Martin said it has successfully completed flight testing of a key radar system upgrade for the US Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, aimed at enhancing detection and battle management capabilities in complex operational environments.

The company, working in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, said the Digital Receiver Exciter Recorder (DREXR) upgrade strengthens the aircraft’s ability to detect, track and respond to evolving threats, reinforcing its role within carrier strike group operations.

According to the statement, the upgrade improves situational awareness and accelerates decision-making for commanders by delivering advanced radar performance and integrated data capabilities. The system replaces legacy exciter and receiver subsystems with a compact, single-unit configuration designed to extend the operational life of the platform.

“The successful DREXR flight tests demonstrate our commitment to keeping the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye at the forefront of airborne early warning and battle management,” said Rick Cordaro, vice president of Radar and Sensor Systems at Lockheed Martin. He added that continued modernisation would help ensure mission effectiveness in increasingly complex threat environments.

During testing, the joint team validated several capabilities, including wideband transmit and receive functions, independent transmission across radar elements and software-defined waveform performance. The system also collected radar data through an integrated recorder to support mission analysis and future development, including applications involving artificial intelligence.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is widely used by the US Navy as an airborne early warning and command-and-control platform, linking air, sea and joint forces through its sensor suite and mission systems. Its APY-9 radar is designed to support multi-domain operations from both land and carrier-based environments.

The latest upgrade reflects ongoing efforts by defence contractors and military operators to modernise existing platforms rather than rely solely on new aircraft development, a strategy aimed at maintaining operational readiness while managing costs.

Lockheed Martin said continued enhancements to the Hawkeye system are expected as part of broader efforts to sustain interoperability and resilience across future missions.

Source: Lockheed Martin PR