Press Release: Audit of the E 2D Advanced Hawkeye Capabilities (Report No. DODIG 2024 136)

Inspector General Robert P. Storch announced today that the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) released the "Audit of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Capabilities."

"Modifications to the E-2D program are intended to provide new and important capabilities for the aircraft," said IG Storch. "However, to achieve this goal, the Navy needs to track, evaluate, and address deficiencies identified in operational tests to help ensure these aircraft meet mission requirements."

The DoD OIG determined that Navy's Program Office did not effectively manage deficiencies identified during operational testing to achieve the performance capabilities for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye modifications. The Program Office failed to address or correct 141, or approximately two-thirds, of the 213 deficiencies identified in seven operational tests, including one major deficiency that affected an essential capability. The DoD OIG found that this occurred because the Program Office did not:

• Track unresolved operational test deficiencies.
• Develop plans to evaluate and correct operational testing deficiencies.

As a result, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye does not have all the required performance capabilities, which could prevent the Navy from accomplishing missions. The Program Office may also need to spend additional money to modify the existing E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and to update future aircraft that are still in production.

The DoD OIG made three recommendations, including that the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development, and Acquisition) direct the Program Office to establish a process to track operational test deficiencies for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and evaluate and correct all unresolved deficiencies. The DoD OIG will monitor progress toward implementing these recommendations.