In United States service, the Hawkeye provides all-weather airborne early warning and command and control functions for the carrier battle group. Additional missions include surface surveillance coordination, strike and interceptor control, search and rescue guidance and communications relay. An integral component of the carrier air wing, the E-2C uses computerized sensors to provide early warning, threat analyses and control of counteraction against air and surface targets. It is a high-wing aircraft with stacked antennae elements contained in a 24 foot (7.3 m) rotating dome above the fuselage.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Crew: 5 (2 pilots, 3 naval flight officers - combat information center officer, air control officer, radar operator)

Length: 57 ft 7 in (17.56 m)

Wingspan: 80 ft 7 in (24.58 m)

Height: 18 ft 4 in (5.58 m)

Wing area: 700 ft² (65 m²)

Empty weight: 37,678 lb (17,090 kg)

Loaded weight: 55,000 lb (23,391 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 55,000 lb (23,391 kg)

Powerplant: 2× Allison T56-A-425 or -427 turboprop, 5100 hp (-427) (3,800 kW) each

Performance:

Maximum speed: 375 mph (604 km/h)

Range: 1,605 mi (2,583 km)

Service ceiling: 30,800 ft (9,390 m)

Rate of climb: 2,515 ft/min (13 m/s)

Wing loading: 72.7 lb/ft² (355 kg/m²)

Power/mass: 0.19 hp/lb (0.32 kW/kg)