By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
The USS Ford is keeping “protective eyes” upon threat areas throughout the Middle East from the Mediterranean Sea using upgraded E2-D Hawkeye surveillance planes in position to detect threatening drones, surface ships and even ground-launched missiles.
An ability to detect RF signatures on a range of frequencies and detect threat objects with long-range EO/IR cameras, enables the Hawkeye to both protect the USS Ford from potential attackers and also detect enemy activity from ground bases, surface threats, ballistic missiles or aircraft. The field of regard and networking envelope has massively expanded for the Hawkeye as well, as it can now function as a critical aerial gateway for over-the-horizon anti-ship cruise missile detection. The Hawkeye provides a critical “aerial node” function in the Navy’s Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air networked ship-defense system. NIFCA links ship based fire control and radar to an airborne Hawkeye to detect incoming anti-ship missiles from beyond the horizon and relay threat specifics back to ship-integrated command and control. Being in position to receive this threat information from the Hawkeye, surface ships can then launch an SM-6 interceptor missile to track and destroy the incoming missile from much greater stand=off ranges beyond the standard radar horizon. This enables ship commanders a much greater time window through which to decide upon a defensive response or counterattack. The Hawkeye’s targeting, computing and sensing can then help direct an SM-6 to the anti-ship missile in precise ways at greater distances than an surface warship could.
Having first taken to the sky as far back as 1960, the Hawkeye aircraft can detect threats from hundreds of miles away, operating as a critical surveillance “node” connecting warships with activity beyond the horizon and standard radar aperture. Interestingly, much like the US Air Force B-52 and a few other platforms, the Hawkeye’s airframes can remain viable with some maintenance and reinforcements for decades beyond what may have initially been anticipated.
Modern variants of the Hawkeye operate with improved radar, electronics, computing and command and control, enhancements that better enable data-links and sensors to inform the 5-man crew with real time intelligence reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR). Modern Hawkeye’s are also capable of aerial refueling as well and use a 24-foot roto-dome that enabled continuous scanning and the ability to send images back to a Carrier Strike Group.
Its entirely possible that NIFC-CA has been responsible for detecting recent missiles launched from Houth-controlled areas in the direction of Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Given that it has been deployed since 2015, NIFC-CA is likely deployed on destroyers with the USS Ford Carrier Strike Group in position to launch an SM-6 interceptor once incoming enemy attacks are seen and identified. In recent years during the development and deployment of NIFC-CA, Raytheon weapons developers have explained some of the unique upgrades and software adjustments built into the SM-6. With an active seeker, an SM-6 is able to send an electromagnetic signal or “ping” forward from the missile itself; by not needing a ship-based illuminator, the missile can use its own integrated “active” seeker technology to better pursue moving or fast-changing targets while in flight. Analyzing electromagnetic energy traveling at the speed of light, ship-based radar, fire-control and computer systems assess the return signal to determine the shape, size, speed and distance of an approaching threat.
Kris Osborn is President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
