The recent defense budget adjustment plan announced by the Trump administration canceled the procurement of the E-7 "Wedgetail" airborne early warning aircraft, based on Boeing 737, for the US Air Force, opting instead to use the Navy's E-2D "Hawkeye" airborne early warning aircraft to fill the gap left by the retirement of the E-3 "Sentinel." This decision has sparked widespread controversy, particularly in the face of high-end opponents like the Chinese Air Force, where the capability deficiencies of the E-2D may render it unable to meet the demands of modern battlefield requirements.
As an airborne early warning aircraft optimized for carrier operations, the E-2D "Hawkeye" has a significantly smaller fuselage size compared to the E-3 and E-7, which limits the size of its AN/APY-9 radar antenna. The smaller antenna area directly affects the radar's detection range and resolution, particularly in terms of height measurement capabilities. Height measurement is crucial for accurately tracking aerial targets, especially fast-moving fighter jets, and the E-2D's shortcomings in this area make it difficult to effectively respond to the maneuverability of modern fighters.
In contrast, the E-7 is equipped with Northrop Grumman's multi-role electronically scanned array radar, which benefits from a larger antenna and more advanced signal processing technology, providing more precise target height information. This is particularly important in complex electromagnetic environments for distinguishing between targets and interference, especially when facing stealth fighters like the J-20 of the Chinese Air Force; the E-7's height measurement advantage can significantly enhance battlefield situational awareness. The size limitations of the E-2D's radar antenna make it difficult to provide equivalent levels of precision data in high-intensity confrontations.
The insufficient height measurement capability of the E-2D also directly impacts the implementation of the critical "A shoot B guide" tactic in modern air combat. This tactic relies on the early warning aircraft providing precise three-dimensional position data (including height) of the target to support the launch and guidance of long-range missiles. For example, US Air Force F-35 or F-22 fighters can receive target height information provided by the E-7 via data links, and after launching AIM-120D missiles, the early warning aircraft continuously relays the data link to guide until the missile's active radar seeker locks onto and hits the target. However, due to the size limitations of the AN/APY-9 radar, the E-2D struggles to provide sufficiently precise height data, resulting in a significant decline in the efficiency of implementing the "A shoot B guide" tactic. This is particularly fatal when facing stealthy fighters like the J-20 or J-16 of the Chinese Air Force, potentially causing US fighter jets to lose the initiative in long-range engagements.
The AN/APY-9 radar of the E-2D uses a mechanical rotating design, completing a 360-degree scan every six seconds. While this design performs adequately in traditional target detection, it has significant drawbacks in tracking stealthy targets. Stealth fighters like the J-20 and J-16 have greatly reduced their probability of being detected through low radar cross-section designs, while the longer scanning intervals of the rotating radar make it difficult to form continuous and stable tracking of rapidly moving low RCS targets.
In comparison, the MESA radar of the E-7 uses a fixed phased array design, enabling electronic scanning to quickly update target data, providing higher tracking stability and anti-jamming capability. This capability is particularly critical in responding to the growing fleet of stealth fighters of the Chinese Air Force. The rotating radar of the E-2D may cause command chain disruptions due to an inability to maintain continuous target lock, leaving the US military at a disadvantage in air combat.
The limitations of the E-2D - including shorter range, lower flight altitude, limited crew capacity, and slower refueling speed - further weaken its operational effectiveness in high-intensity conflicts.
The range and speed of the E-2D are inferior to those of the E-7, making it difficult to seamlessly coordinate with jet fighters of the US Air Force, especially in the vast Indo-Pacific theater of operations. Additionally, its lower flight altitude limits the line-of-sight range of radar and electronic surveillance systems, reducing the fidelity of long-distance target detection. These defects will significantly impact the battle management capabilities of the E-2D when facing highly mobile Chinese Air Force aircraft and complex electromagnetic environments, such as coordinating drone swarms or conducting data fusion.
Although the E-2D theoretically has advantages in agile combat deployment by being able to take off from rudimentary forward bases, its overall performance cannot meet the needs of comprehensive confrontation with high-end opponents. The E-7, as a modern airborne early warning aircraft based on a commercial platform, can accommodate more personnel and equipment, supporting a wider range of mission requirements, including non-traditional functions such as ground scanning and drone control.
While the decision to replace the E-7 with the E-2D appears to save short-term costs, it sacrifices core capabilities of the US Air Force in future high-end conflicts. This decision could lead to a gap in key airborne early warning and control capabilities, especially before fully mature distributed satellite constellations in space are established. This strategic misjudgment may incur a high cost in future conflicts and is not an exaggeration to describe it as "suicidal behavior."
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7517605356046991924/
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