Photo by Phu An An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye at Northrop Grumman’s Saint Augustine Manufacturing Center is the center of attention for more than 300 who attended a roll-out ceremony for the battle management command-and-control aircraft. The Navy accepted the first system development and demonstration aircraft, called SDD-1, during the ceremony Monday at the Florida facility. It is the first of 75 Advanced Hawkeyes scheduled for delivery to the Navy.

The system development and demonstration aircraft, called SDD-1, is the first of 75 Advanced Hawkeyes scheduled for delivery to the Navy. The first Advanced Hawkeye will join a fleet squadron in 2011.

‘‘The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is a game-changer for the American war fighter. The aircraft is a leap forward in airborne early warning and command and control for our armed forces,” said Rear Adm. Pete Williams, NAVAIR’s program executive officer for Tactical Aircraft. ‘‘I am very proud that the Navy E-2 program, Northrop Grumman and other members of Team Hawkeye have delivered on a promise to create an aircraft that is the centerpiece for the future carrier flight deck.”

With radar that extends the carrier battle group’s line-of-sight, the Advanced Hawkeye has a 360-degree array with added electronic scan system and lock-down feature, which allows concentration on targets of potential threat, according to Capt. Randy Mahr, NAVAIR’s E-2 program manager.

‘‘Augmenting a 40-year E-2 history, this new edition is equipped with the future resources critical to the Navy’s network-centric strategy. When the Navy’s men and women launch into harm’s way, they will be playing for keeps and will have a mission-capable, mission-ready command and control aircraft – exactly what we promised to deliver,” Mahr said.

The aircraft’s glass cockpit system displays equip the pilot and co-pilot with the ability to switch screens from flight to crew mission displays. This allows four - rather than the traditional three - naval flight officers, to perform the aircraft’s command-and-control missions and expand information conveyed to the battlegroup commander.

The Navy and Northrop Grumman will begin integrated ground testing in St. Augustine. Team Hawkeye has married existing telemetry systems and a mobile test facility to allow transfer of the test unit. The test facility can relocate to test events at St. Augustine, Patuxent River Naval Air Station, any off-site operation or on an aircraft carrier. Navy Test and Evaluation Squadrons Twenty (VX-20) and One (VX-1) will test at Pax River.

‘‘We will be ready in 2011 to be the backbone of the network-centric Navy,” Mahr said. ‘‘For years, lighthouses guided Sailors - their vision for the way ahead - just like the Advanced Hawkeye will be the vision and the way ahead for those in the carrier battle group. It will sweep the mission frontlines to provide critical intelligence ahead of our strike aircraft.”

The Advanced Hawkeye will take first flight this summer, joining Joint Strike Fighter and EA-18G, both of which completed first flights within the last year. Along with SH-60 and the AESA-equipped Block II Super Hornet, these aircraft comprise the carrier flight deck of the future.

‘‘With our number one goal in mind - delivering the right capabilities on time and on cost – I’ve given our tactical aircraft programs a mandate to use best-business practices to develop the force needed to ensure Navy and Marine Corps air dominance. The E-2D example represents one more success in our effort to provide the war fighter with the most advanced capabilities,” said Williams.