Northrop Grumman E-10 MC2A

The Northrop Grumman E‑10 MC2A is a proposed multi‑role command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (MC2A) aircraft derived from the heavily modified E‑2 Hawkeye airframe. Development began in the early 2000s when the U.S. Navy and Air Force sought a joint platform capable of fusing data from airborne and space‑based sensors to support joint strike operations. Although the program never entered full production, its design work laid the groundwork for later network‑centric aircraft such as the E‑2D Advanced Hawkeye and the MQ‑4C Triton. Key features include a state‑of‑the‑art mission system that integrates radar, signals‑intelligence, electronic‑support measures and communications relay into a single cockpit interface, a larger dorsal “wet” wing to accommodate additional fuel and mission equipment, and an upgraded propulsion package for extended endurance. The aircraft’s open‑architecture avionics were intended to allow rapid insertion of emerging technologies and to serve as a test bed for the Navy’s Cooperative Engagement Capability. Although cancelled, the E‑10 MC2A’s emphasis on sensor‑fusion, network‑centric warfare and joint‑service interoperability has had lasting influence, shaping modern airborne command‑and‑control concepts and reinforcing Northrop Grumman’s reputation as an innovator in aerospace engineering.

Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman E-10 MC2A

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification