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A Quiet Take Off – US Navy Deploys E-2Ds to Japan
Justin Bronk
Commentary, 24 January 2017
Aerospace, China, United States, US Defence Policy, Japan, North America, North Korea, Maritime Forces, Pacific
A recent deployment of new US assets in the Pacific could represent a significant capability boost in countering improving Chinese missile and aircraft technology.
Tensions between the US and, respectively, China and North Korea, have prompted the US to regularly rotate prestigious aerial combat assets such as F-22 Raptor fighters and B-52 bombers into the Asia-Pacific theatre. This sends signals to both allies and rivals about US military capabilities and resolve.
Washington announced earlier this month that the US Navy will, in a matter of weeks, deploy its Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 to Iwakuni Air Base in Japan with its E-2D Hawkeye aircraft – replacing VAW 115 with its E-2Cs. The move did not necessarily attract media attention, but it is nonetheless a highly significant signal of US posture in the region.
The E-2 Hawkeye is an aircraft carrier-capable equivalent to the US Air Force's iconic E-3 Sentry, known to the world as AWACS.
Like the E-3, the Hawkeye carries communications arrays and mounts a large radar dish on top of its fuselage. It has banks of workstations so that aircrew can provide real-time processing, exploitation and dissemination of the battlespace picture that the radar provides for fleet early-warning.
This also provides aerial command and control services to other aircraft, and acts as a data-relay and translation hub between different maritime and air platforms. In simple terms, the E-2 Hawkeye is the airborne eyes and ears of the US Navy.
The importance of the deployment announced earlier this month is the fact that the VAW 125 squadron is equipped with the newest version of the Hawkeye – the E-2D. Compared with the E-2C which it is replacing in the US Navy's Japan-based Carrier Air Wing 5, the E-2D has many operational advantages that are specifically relevant to a range of new Chinese military capability developments.
The most significant difference between the externally similar-looking aircraft is the replacement of the older mechanically scanning radar with the new A/N-APY9 radar. This is an ultra-high frequency band radar capable of both electronic scanning and mechanical scanning in order to combine the detection advantages of both techniques against particular target types and cancel out the disadvantages.
The radar itself is not only modern, frequency-agile and powerful, but it feeds a formidable latest-generation mission system capable of weeding out false positives, combining and cross-referencing data from different frequency scans and other clever software-enabled tricks.
This enables operators to get a much clearer and more unambiguous situational awareness picture than human-dependent processing of the basic scan outputs could possibly yield alone.
An EC-2C during landing. Its replacement, the EC-2D, gives the US Navy enhanced capabilities against the threats posed by China's new J-20 and J31 aircraft. Courtesy of the US Department of Defense.
What all this means is that the E-2D is a huge leap forward for the US Navy in terms of detection, tracking and target engagement capabilities at long range against two specific target sets that are very hard for traditional mechanically scanned radars to detect or track accurately.
The first target set are fighter-sized combat aircraft utilising low-observable or 'stealth' airframe shaping and coatings to hide from more traditional arrays – an area where China is racing to catch up with US capabilities with its J-20 and J-31 fighters, and secretive Lijian 'Sharp Sword' low-observable unmanned combat aerial vehicle.
The J-20 in particular has long range on internal fuel and impressive internal weapons bays that are thought to be capable of carrying anti-ship missiles.
Early detection of such threats will be crucial to maintaining the survivability of US Navy surface warships in any future conflict with China. The E-2D is certainly more capable than any other currently operational US early warning aircraft of detecting such threats at long range.
Likewise, the A/N-APY9 radar is thought to offer significantly improved detection and (crucially) tracking capabilities against small, high-supersonic and hypersonic threats such as cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads.
Given the proliferation of supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles and the potentially revolutionary Chinese DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile, the ability to provide both early warning and over-the-horizon target-tracking grade data to the fleet is likely to be essential for the US Navy's carrier battlegroups, to be able to operate within a Chinese anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) zone in future.
The E-2D cannot engage and destroy incoming threats itself, but instead relays target information to both friendly aircraft and ships which carry missiles capable of conducting an interception.
Therefore, the upgrade from E-2C to E-2D in Japan – carried out before many of the US Navy's other CVWs have transitioned - shows that the US Navy is determined to enhance fleet survivability and lethality in the Asia-Pacific, and regards this as a matter of priority.
Overall, the E-2D will be a cornerstone of the Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air strategy being pursued in response to improving Chinese missile and aircraft technology in the Pacific.
With its enhanced spectrum of capabilities, the E-2D should provide a significant survivability and lethality boost to every strike fighter and Aegis ship in the US fleet.
It allows other assets to engage and defend against threats which otherwise they would be unable to detect (at least detect in time) using their own sensors.
This deployment of the visually unassuming, propeller-driven, unarmed early-warning aircraft to Japan (as well as the sale of the E-2D to the Japanese Self-Defence Forces), represents the start of a significant growth in the combat flexibility of US and allied naval forces in the Asia-Pacific, and a direct response to Chinese A2/AD threat technology developments.
Banner image: EC-2C Hawkeyes over Mount Fuji. Courtesy of the US Department of Defense.
Research Fellow, Airpower and Technology
Justin Bronk is a Research Fellow specialising in combat airpower and technology in the Military Sciences team at RUSI. He is also... read more
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The Evolution of Online Violent Extremism in Indonesia and the Philippines
Other Publications, 10 July 2019
Nava Nuraniyah
This paper outlines the evolving use of online platforms by pro-Daesh groups in Indonesia and the Philippines and how this has enabled extremists to develop and strengthen their networks.
Tags: Cyber, The Global Research Network on Terrorism and Technology, Other Publications, Terrorism, Pacific
RUSI First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference
Conference Reports, 9 July 2019
Sidharth Kaushal
On 15 May 2019, RUSI held the First Sea Lord's Sea Power Conference to discuss maritime strategy in a changing naval environment.
Tags: Armed Forces, Civil–Military Relations, Defence Spending, Equipment and Acquisitions, Conference Reports, Global Strategy and Commitments, UK Defence Policy, Military Sciences, Defence Management, Defence Policy, UK, Maritime Forces, Military Personnel, National Security, Technology, UK Defence
A Mackinder–Mahan Geopolitical View of China's Belt and Road Initiative
RUSI Newsbrief, 5 July 2019
Adam Leong Kok Wey
Both born over 100 years ago, the geopolitical theories of Halford J Mackinder and Alfred Thayer Mahan offer timely clarity of the strategic interests behind China's Belt and Road Initiative
Tags: China, RUSI Newsbrief, Global Security Issues, New Silk Road
There's More to Cyber Than Huawei
Commentary, 24 June 2019
Conrad Prince
Debate continues as to how governments should manage the presence of Chinese technology in 5G telecommunications networks. But the argument risks obscuring the critical question of how states such as the UK will best achieve the cyber security they need.
Tags: China, Cyber, United States, Cyber Security, UK, Domestic Security, Intelligence, Law and Ethics, Technology
Shangri-La Dialogue: Europe Navigating Asia Amidst a US–China Standoff
Veerle Nouwens
This year's Annual Shangri-La Dialogue set the stage for confrontation between China and the US. The now former US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan launched Washington's Indo-Pacific Strategy, while China upped its participation by being represented at ministerial level for the first time since 2011. The message of both protagonists was clear – neither the US nor China is backing...
Tags: China, European Union, International Security Studies, France, UK, Asia, Global Security Issues, International Institutions, Law and Ethics, Maritime Forces, Europe, Pacific
Hong Kong: So What? Now What? In the Future What?
Charles Parton
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's attempt at introducing a Fugitive Offenders Ordinance has harmed the interests of Hong Kong and China; it may also harm their relations with foreign countries.
Tags: China, RUSI International, Asia, Global Security Issues, Law and Ethics, Pacific
Novel Concepts for Amphibious Force Resupply
RUSI Defence Systems, 28 June 2019
George Galdorisi
The United States continues to place a premium on amphibious forces as part of its global response capabilities. Unmanned surface vessels have recently been tested which offer a significant advance in the ability of amphibious forces to conduct important ship-shore resupply from standoff distances
Tags: Equipment and Acquisitions, RUSI Defence Systems, Maritime Forces
The US–Turkey Strategic Stalemate
RUSI Newsbrief, 13 June 2019
Michael Stephens
Despite Daesh's military defeat there remains a significant clash between the US and Turkey about Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria. Should Washington continue to support the Kurds?
Tags: Turkey, United States, RUSI Newsbrief, Iraq, Counterinsurgency, Syria, Global Security Issues
The Royal Air Force at 100
Multimedia, 29 March 2018
Justin Bronk, Research Fellow, Airpower and Technology
Justin Bronk, RUSI's Research Fellow for Airpower and Technology reflects on the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, established on 1 April 1918.
Aerospace, Military Sciences
That's No Moon... That's A Tesla
Multimedia, 9 February 2018
Alexandra Stickings, Research Fellow, Space Policy and Security
The successful and spectacular inaugural launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy this week not only captured public imaginations with its ground-breaking double booster recovery and quirky payload, but also...
Aerospace, Air Power and Technology, United States, National Security Studies
Trump: Year One
Multimedia, 24 January 2018
Dr Karin von Hippel, Director-General
Director-General Dr Karin von Hippel discusses the first year of the Trump Presidency.
United States, US Defence Policy, Global Security Issues
Winners announced for the Duke of Westminster Medal for Military Literature 2015
News, 22 November 2016
22 November 2016 - Lord Hennessy and Dr James Jinks were today named as the latest recipients of its annual prize recognising the best book that makes a notable and original contribution to the study...
History, Maritime Forces
New Research Project on the Security Dimensions of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
News, 29 April 2016
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Law and Ethics, Maritime Forces
Defeating ISIS: New RUSI reports
News, 25 September 2015
Two new RUSI reports suggest Western military efforts to eliminate ISIS from the Middle East may result only in the Balkanisation of the region. Instead, the best hope of countering the extremist...
Aerospace, Air Power and Technology, Turkey, United States, US Defence Policy, Iran, The Gulf Region, Iraq, Russia, Counterinsurgency, Syria, Terrorism, Defence Policy, UK, Global Security Issues, Land Forces, UK Defence, Europe, Middle East and North Africa
Events, 1 August 2019
At this event Project Sandstone will present their discovery of the evolving DPRK sanction evasion techniques taken from its latest research paper, 'On the Trail of the Tae Yang'.
Tags: Project Sandstone, North Korea
Reflections on D-Day: The Battle for Normandy
Events, 30 May 2019
A panel discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Battle for Normandy.
Tags: United States, UK, History, Europe
Countering the Financing of North Korea's WMD Programme: from Sanctions to Crypto
This RUSI Under 35's Forum event will explore the financing of North Korean Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme, and how new technology including cybercrime and cryptocurrencies to avoid detection...
Tags: North Korea
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