The State Department issued a notification of the potential sale of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft to Japan, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced today.
The deal is for as many as 5 E-2D aircraft, six Tactical Data Link radio systems, 12 engines, and other associated systems for about $1.38 billion, DSCA said in a news release. The agency informed Congress about the deal on Tuesday.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region,” DSCA said in the release.
“The proposed sale will improve Japan’s ability to effectively provide homeland defense utilizing an AEW&C capability. Japan will use the E-2D AHE aircraft to provide AEW&C situational awareness of air and naval activity in the Pacific region and to augment its existing E-2C Hawkeye AEW&C fleet. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”
The deal’s approval comes as Japan’s prime minister has called for his country to spend more on defense capabilities due to North Korea’s missile program and China’s growing military capability.
It also comes as the United States seeks more cooperation between the U.S., Japan and South Korea. The three countries performed trilateral ballistic missile defense exercises last month after North Korea conducted missile tests.
Japan received two E-2Ds in 2020 after receiving the first aircraft in March of 2019, Naval News previously reported. Japan received two more aircraft in October 2022, Shephard Media reported.
The State Department in 2018 greenlit the sale of 9 E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes to Japan for a deal worth $3.135 billion.
