Center of Excellence to build bulk of new Hawkeye aircraft

Christine McGlade, vice president of manufacturing operations and site manager for the Northrop Grumman Corp “Center of Excellence” in St Augustine, reported to Historic City News that the US Navy will fill out an earlier contract, and award an additional contract to build five more E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft through June 2016.

For the 965 current employees, and anticipated new hires who work within the 1.1 million-square-foot facility, leased from the Northeast Florida Regional Airport at St Augustine, this comes as great news.

Earlier this year, the Pentagon authorized full production of the aircraft, with 55 of the planes being built over the next decade. Northrop Grumman has already begun buying parts for the $617 million job; about a quarter of the work will be done here, McGlade told reporters.

The E-2D is an aircraft-carrier based turboprop aircraft that handles surveillance and early warning missions. The 360-degree radar mounted to the plane is used to find enemy aircraft and missiles.

Although the bulk of the work is being done in St Augustine, the project will be spread across the country, with Syracuse doing about 20 percent of the job and the rest spread out over about 200 locations.