e2

Diffenately cool.

What is that plane's designed function?

I believe it is the Navy Version of AWACS?

Hog

Thom - They are the "eye in the sky". The radar enclosure is visible on top. They go on station above a particular area and direct activities or provide information on weather, surface ships, troop movements, aircraft activity, all kinds of things. They can keep an aircraft carrier in the know about any approaching aircraft or surface vessels while they are still many miles away. And they can vector the scrambling fighters to the incoming bogeys. They fly a huge circle or oval in the sky above whatever they are protecting or directing. The plane is filled with state-of-the-art electronics aned communications gear.

TD7-Good info!!!!

In addition, they extend the eyes of the carrier, and in certain situations, Navy fighter planes are out forward flying "figure 8"s while the E2A is the forward eye for those fighters and will help them locate and kill a target!

Big team effort and lots of forward protection for the Carrier group!

Charlie

I always thought it was a flying saucer having sex with an airplane. X

Yep...

Pulled my reserve duty in VAW-78 NAS Norfolk.

A squadron of E2C Hawkeyes.

Thanks for sharing the pic, brings back the memories.

It was always weird watching them take off from the flight deck...they always dropped a few feet after they left the deck before actually flying forwards.

I always thought they'd never make it back up.

cjc

I've Heard that the Landings on Deck are scary as hell in that thing . . .

I never made a landing but did get one "cat shot" in a similar acft, the C2 which is a cargo version of the E2C Hawkeye. Let's just say that I gained a new respect for those folks who fly anything off a moving ship.

CJC