Exploring the capabilities of the US Navy's $345 million aircraft at sea

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Fluctus channel. Aircraft carriers are among the most powerful weapons of war ever constructed. Yes, despite containing millions of dollars of sonar and radar equipment, even the most advanced aircraft carriers are still vulnerable to undetected threats. That's where the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye comes in. The Hawkeye is an AEW, or airborne early warning aircraft, and it is specifically designed to serve as an eye in the sky for aircraft carriers and other vessels, essentially extending the detection range of the carrier far beyond the ship's own sensors. This makes it integral in managing battle space and providing early warnings of potential threats. The E-2 Hawkeye is easily recognizable by its distinctive 24-foot diameter radar dome above the fuselage. This allows the aircraft to detect, identify, and track potentially hostile aircraft and ships at significant ranges, providing a comprehensive surveillance envelope that is very difficult to penetrate. Aside from this feature, the E2 is otherwise unremarkable and has changed very little since it was first introduced back in 1964. It is roughly 57 feet long with an 80-foot wingspan and is powered by two turboprop engines. The large wing area makes it easier for the plane to take off and land from aircraft carrier flight decks while also giving the plane a lower stall speed During actual engagements, the E-2 serves as a flying command and control center, significantly enhancing battlefield awareness and coordination. The typical E-2 crew consists of a pilot, co-pilot, radar officer, and two control officers. These sailors can use the information generated by the plane's robust sensors to direct fighter aircraft during air combat and position naval forces to respond to surface threats. Because space aboard an aircraft carrier is particularly tight, Northrop Grumman designed the E-2 with several unique features. First, the wings fold up against the fuselage, significantly reducing the plane's width. The radome can also be lowered by several feet, making it easier for the aircraft to be moved via the carrier's hangar bay elevators. Despite these storage features, the E-2 can be made battle-ready in a matter of minutes, providing valuable surveillance no matter what the situation. The latest iteration of the aircraft is the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Introduced in 2010, the advanced Hawkeye features significant advancements over its predecessors. The new AN-APY-9 radar features an active electronically scanned array that combines electronic scanning with mechanical rotation. It is even suspected to be capable of detecting stealth aircraft, which puts it far beyond the capabilities of traditional UHF radars. Finally, the E-2D is now capable of aerial refueling, significantly extending its flight time during crucial missions. The average aircraft carrier hosts a wide range of planes and helicopters, all with their own strategic missions. However, the E-2 and its numerous variations are responsible for helping coordinate the efforts of all these different aircraft. From a safe altitude of more than 34,000 feet, the E-2 and its crew can keep watch over an entire battlefield sector, providing up-to-the-minute insight into enemy aircraft, troop, and ship movement. One of the most notable stories involving the E-2 has nothing to do with combat at all. On March 18, 2016, an E-2 Hawkeye performed a routine landing aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. During touchdown, the arresting cable was engaged as normal, but the cable ended up snapping. The snapping of the arresting cable posed an immediate threat to both the aircraft and the crew on deck, as the plane had no way to decelerate adequately. Fortunately, the pilot was able to quickly apply full power to the engines, just barely keeping the plane from falling into the sea. Meanwhile, the flight team was awarded the Armed Forces Air Medal for their quick thinking and valor. As crucial as it is to the United States Navy's mission, the E-2 is far from the only surveillance aircraft in the fleet. In 2013, Boeing introduced the P-8 Poseidon, a multi-mission maritime aircraft primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and shipping interdiction roles. The P-8 is based on the 737-800 commercial airliner, making it quite a bit larger than other surveillance craft. At 129 feet long and with a 123 foot wingspan, it is far too large to take off and land on an aircraft carrier. As such, the P-8 is generally assigned to strategic island or coastal air bases. Nonetheless, the Poseidon excels at long-range maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and surveillance missions, thanks to its advanced sensors and systems, which help it detect and track submarines and surface ships. Unlike other surveillance aircraft, the Poseidon is also heavily armed. This is because one of its primary roles is anti-sub warfare. Since its introduction, the P-8 has become a key asset for the US Navy and its allies in maintaining maritime security. The P-8 was actually introduced to replace another surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft, the Lockheed P-3 Orion. This four-engine propeller aircraft dates back to 1959, serving as the primary anti-sub aircraft for nearly 60 years. In fact, with its deployable sonobuoys and high-tech surveillance suite, the P-3 set the standard for what air-to-sub warfare looks like to this day. Its crew of 11 constantly monitors onboard radar, sonar, and electronic intelligence systems, looking for the slightest anomalies that may indicate a potential threat, and though it is being phased out in the United States, it remains in use by many other countries. For more than 100 years, submarines have posed one of the biggest challenges when it comes to maritime defense. Because they can travel almost silently under the water, subs can infiltrate friendly waters and launch surprise attacks, often escaping before they can be engaged. Anti-submarine warfare has therefore evolved to incorporate various tactics and technologies for detecting, Tracking and Neutralizing Enemy Submarines The primary tool for detecting submarines is sonar. This is about either actively sending out pulses and listening for echoes, or trying to passively detect engine noise, propeller cavitation, and other mechanical sounds. Ironically, submarines themselves are among the most effective hunters of other submarines, as they operate in the same environment and deal with far less interference than surface vessels or aircraft. One of the ways aircraft help improve their ability to detect submarines is through the use of sono buoys. These are typically small, expendable and buoyant devices equipped with hydrophones and other sensors to detect underwater sounds. They will either float on the surface or sit at a predetermined depth in the water. They then immediately begin transmitting data back to the aircraft, alerting them to any potential anomalies. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time!