Lockheed Martin has completed flight testing of the Digital Receiver Exciter Recorder (DREXR) upgrade for the U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, in collaboration with Northrop Grumman. The upgrade strengthens radar detection and tracking in contested environments, improving situational awareness and decision-making for carrier strike group commanders.
This compact single-unit design replaces existing exciter and receiver subsystems, delivering next-generation radar performance while extending the platform’s operational life. Testing confirmed wideband transmit and receive functions, independent transmit control for each radar element, and software-defined waveform capabilities.
The integrated recorder captured radar data to support mission analysis and advance technologies like artificial intelligence. These enhancements counter evolving threats, bolstering the E-2D’s role as a core airborne early warning and battle management aircraft.
The E-2D operates ahead of strikes, fusing sensors for battlespace awareness, air and missile defense, and real-time common operating pictures. This upgrade directly amplifies its force-multiplier effect in network-centric operations across vast theaters like the Asia-Pacific.