Northrop Grumman said its second E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, known as Delta Two, has moved on to the next stage of flight testing, transitioning to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland in preparation for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation. The first E-2D System Development and Design (SDD) aircraft, Delta One, transitioned to Pax River May 30 and testing began shortly thereafter. "This next phase of testing — carrier suitability — will be the first opportunity to get the E-2D out on the carrier. We’re looking forward to the first Advanced Hawkeye carrier landing as it brings us that much closer to delivering this revolutionary weapons system to the warfighter," said Jim Culmo, vice president of Airborne Early Warning and Battle Management Command and Control programs for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. The company said the bulk of the testing involves catapult and arrested landing structural tests as well as the interoperability between the aircraft and the carrier. Avionics on the aircraft includes the AN/APY-9 Electronic Scan Array (ESA) radar, Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) system, Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and off-board sensors. "The AN/APY-9 can see smaller targets and more of them at a greater range than currently fielded radar systems," Culmo added.