San Diego - USS Midway Museum

Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye

 

The USS Midway Museum is a maritime museum located in downtown San Diego, California at Navy Pier. The museum consists of the aircraft carrier Midway (CV-41). The ship houses an extensive collection of aircraft, many of which were built in Southern California.

 

The USS Midway was America's longest-serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century, from 1945 to 1992. Approximately 200,000 sailors served aboard the carrier, known for several naval aviation breakthroughs as well as several humanitarian missions. It was the only carrier to serve the entire length of the Cold War and beyond. It is now berthed in San Diego, the original home of the Navy's TOPGUN fighter school.

 

Midway opened as a museum on 7 June 2004. By 2012 annual visitation exceeded 1 million visitors. As of 2015 Midway is the most popular naval warship museum in the United States. The museum has over 13,000 members, and hosts more than 700 events a year, including more than 400 active-duty Navy retirements, re-enlistments, and changes of command. The museum also hosts approximately 50,000 students on field trips and 5,000 children in its overnight program annually.

 

Admission includes a self-guided audio tour, narrated by former Midway sailors to more than 60 locations, including sleeping quarters, engine room, galley, bridge, brig, post office, foc's'le, pilots' ready rooms, officers quarters, primary flight control, and "officers country". Other features include climb-aboard aircraft and cockpits, videos, flight simulators, and a narrated audio tour for youngsters.

 

The museum is berthed at Navy Pier which has more than 300 parking spaces. It also is within walking distance of public transportation and other downtown San Diego waterfront attractions.

 

In addition to private events, the museum has become a popular media venue. In 2012 it hosted a nationally broadcast NCAA basketball game between San Diego State University and Syracuse University. American Idol has filmed an episode on Midway, as have the Travel Network, Discovery Channel, FOX News, The Bachelor, Extreme Makeover, History Channel, and Military Channel.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the earlier, piston-engined E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete. The aircraft's performance has been upgraded with the E-2B, and E-2C versions, where most of the changes were made to the radar and radio communications due to advances in electronic integrated circuits and other electronics. The fourth major version of the Hawkeye is the E-2D, which first flew in 2007. The E-2 was the first aircraft designed specifically for its role, as opposed to a modification of an existing airframe, such as the Boeing E-3 Sentry. Variants of the Hawkeye have been in continuous production since 1960, giving it the longest production run of any carrier-based aircraft.

 

The E-2 also received the nickname "Super Fudd" because it replaced the WF (later E-1) "Willy Fudd". In recent decades, the E-2 has been commonly referred to as the "Hummer" because of the distinctive sounds of its turboprop engines, quite unlike that of turbojet and turbofan jet engines. In addition to U.S. Navy service, smaller numbers of E-2s have been sold to the armed forces of Egypt, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, and Taiwan.

 

Continual improvements in airborne radars through 1956 led to the construction of AEW airplanes by several different countries and several different armed forces. The functions of command and control and sea & air surveillance were also added. The first carrier-based aircraft to perform these missions for the U.S. Navy and its allies was the Douglas AD Skyraider, which was replaced in US Navy service by the Grumman E-1 Tracer, which was a modified version of the S-2 Tracker twin-engine anti-submarine warfare aircraft, where the radar was carried in an aerofoil-shaped radome carried above the aircraft's fuselage.

 

The E-2 is a high-wing airplane, with one Allison T56 turboprop engine (5250 shp rating, 750 lb of thrust) on each wing and retractable tricycle landing gear. As with most carrier-borne airplanes, the E-2 is equipped with a tail hook for recovery (landing), and the nose gear can attach to a shuttle of the aircraft carrier's catapults for launch (takeoff). A distinguishing feature of the Hawkeye is its 24-foot (7.3 m) diameter rotating radar dome (rotodome) that is mounted above its fuselage and wings. This carries the E-2's primary antennas for its long-range radar and IFF systems. No other carrier-borne aircraft possesses one of these. Land-based aircraft with rotodomes include the Boeing E-3 Sentry, a larger AWACS airplane operated by the U.S. Air Force and NATO air forces in large numbers. The similarly-placed stationary radome of the E-2's piston-engined predecessor, the E-1 Tracer, also mandated the E-2's adoption of a modern version of Grumman's long-patented Sto-Wing folding wing system, preventing the folded wing panels from making contact with the E-2's rotodome.

 

The aircraft is operated by a crew of five, with the pilot and co-pilot on the flight deck and the combat information center officer, air control officer and radar operator stations located in the rear fuselage directly beneath the rotodome.

 

In U.S. service, the E-2 Hawkeye provides all-weather airborne early warning and command and control capabilities for all aircraft-carrier battle groups. In addition, its other purposes include sea and land surveillance, the control of the aircraft carrier's fighter planes for air defense, the control of strike aircraft on offensive missions, the control of search and rescue missions for naval aviators and sailors lost at sea, and for the relay of radio communications, air-to-air and ship-to-air. It can also serve in an air traffic control capacity in emergency situations when land-based ATC is unavailable.

 

The E-2C and E-2D Hawkeyes use advanced electronic sensors combined with digital computer signal processing, especially its radars, for early warning of enemy aircraft attacks and anti-ship missile attacks, and the control of the carrier's combat air patrol (CAP) fighters, and secondarily for surveillance of the surrounding sea and land for enemy warships and guided-missile launchers, and any other electronic surveillance missions as directed.

 

The E-2A entered U.S. Navy service on January 1964, and in April 1964 with VAW-11 at NAS North Island. The first deployment was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk during 1965.

 

Since entering combat during the Vietnam War, the E-2 has served the US Navy around the world, acting as the electronic "eyes of the fleet".

 

In August 1981, a Hawkeye from VAW-124 "Bear Aces" directed two F-14 Tomcats from VF-41 "Black Aces" in an intercept mission in the Gulf of Sidra that resulted in the downing of two Libyan Sukhoi Su-22s. Hawkeyes from VAW-123 aboard the aircraft carrier USS America directed a group of F-14 Tomcat fighters flying the Combat Air Patrol during Operation El Dorado Canyon, the joint strike of two Carrier Battle Groups in the Mediterranean Sea against Libyan terrorist targets during 1986.

 

More recently, E-2Cs provided the command and control for both aerial warfare and land-attack missions during the Persian Gulf War. Hawkeyes have supported the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Customs Service, and American federal and state police forces during anti-drug operations.

 

In the mid-1980s, several U.S. Navy E-2Cs were made available to the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Customs Service for counter-narcotics (CN) and maritime interdiction operations (MIO). This also led to the Coast Guard building a small cadre of Naval Flight Officers (NFOs), starting with the recruitment and interservice transfer of Navy flight officers with E-2 flight experience and the flight training of other junior Coast Guard officers as NFOs. A fatal aircraft mishap on 24 August 1990 involving a Coast Guard E-2C at the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico prompted the Coast Guard to discontinue flying E-2Cs and to return its E-2Cs to the Navy. The U.S Customs Service also returned its E-2Cs to the Navy and concentrated on the use of former U.S. Navy P-3 Orion aircraft in the CN role.

 

E-2C Hawkeye squadrons played a critical role in air operations during Operation Desert Storm. In one instance, a Hawkeye crew provided critical air control direction to two F/A-18 Hornet aircrew, resulting in the shootdown of two Iraqi MiG-21s. During Operations Southern Watch and Desert Fox, Hawkeye crews continued to provide thousands of hours of air coverage, while providing air-to-air and air-to-ground command and control in a number of combat missions.

 

The E-2 Hawkeye is a crucial component of all U.S. Navy carrier air wings; each carrier is equipped with four Hawkeyes (five in some situations), allowing for continuous 24-hour-a-day operation of at least one E-2 and for one or two to undergo maintenance in the aircraft carrier's hangar deck at all times. Until 2005, the US Navy Hawkeye's were organized into East and West coast wings, supporting the respective fleets. However, the East coast wing was disestablished, all aircraft were organized into a single wing based at Point Mugu, California. Six E-2C aircraft were deployed by the US Naval Reserve for drug interdiction and homeland security operations until 9 March 2013, when the sole Reserve squadron, VAW-77 'Nightwolves', was decommissioned and its six aircraft sent to other squadrons.

 

During Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom all ten Regular Navy Hawkeye squadrons flew overland sorties. They provided battle management for attack of enemy ground targets, close-air-support coordination, combat search and rescue control, airspace management, as well as datalink and communication relay for both land and naval forces. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, three Hawkeye squadrons (two Regular Navy and one Navy Reserve) were deployed in support of civilian relief efforts including Air Traffic Control responsibilities spanning three states, and the control of U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and Army National Guard and Air National Guard helicopter rescue units.

 

Hawkeye 2000s first deployed in 2003 aboard USS Nimitz with VAW-117, the "Wallbangers" (formerly the "Nighthawks"), and CVW-11. U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeyes have been upgraded with eight-bladed propellers as part of the NP2000 program; the first squadron to cruise with the new propellers was VAW-124 "Bear Aces". The Hawkeye 2000 version can track more than 2,000 targets simultaneously (while at the same time, detecting 20,000 simultaneously) to a range greater than 400 mi (640 km) and simultaneously guide 40–100 air-to-air intercepts or air-to-surface engagements.

 

In 2014, several E-2C Hawkeyes from the Bear Aces of VAW-124 were deployed from USS George H.W. Bush as flying command posts and air traffic controllers over Iraq during Operation Inherent Resolve against the Islamic State.

 

VAW-120, the E-2C fleet replacement squadron began receiving E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes for training use in July 2010. On 27 March 2014, the first E-2Ds were delivered to the VAW-125. The E-2D achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in October 2014 when VAW-125 was certified to have five operational aircraft. This began training on the aircraft for its first operational deployment, scheduled for 2015 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. The E-2D will play a larger role than that of the E-2C, with five E-2Ds aboard each carrier instead of the current four C-models, requiring the acquisition of 75 total E-2Ds. On 11 March 2015, the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group departed Naval Station Norfolk and returned to port on 23 November 2015, concluding the first operational use of the E-2D.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Das USS Midway Museum ist ein Museumsschiff und befindet sich in San Diego, Kalifornien am Navy Pier. Das Museum besteht aus der USS Midway (CV-41) und beinhaltet eine große Auswahl an hauptsächlich im südlichen Kalifornien gebauten Flugzeugen.

 

Die USS Midway war der dienstälteste Flugzeugträger der US Navy (1945 bis 1992). Über 200.000 Soldaten dienten auf dem Schiff, das an mehreren wichtigen militärischen Einsätzen, darunter auch humanitäre Missionen, beteiligt war. Es ist der einzige Flugzeugträger, der während des kompletten Kalten Krieges im Dienst war. Zurzeit liegt es vor San Diego, dem Geburtsort der Luftmarinegarde und dem ursprünglichen Standort der United States Navy Fighter Weapons School.

 

Das Schiff öffnete zum ersten Mal als Museum am 7. Juni 2004. Im Jahre 2012 überschritt die jährliche Besucherzahl die Einmillionenmarke und machte die USS Midway somit zum meistbesuchten, noch schwimmenden Marinemuseumsschiff der Welt. Das Museum hat über 13.000 Mitglieder und ist Veranstalter von über 700 Events im Jahr, über 400 davon sind feierliche Verabschiedungen von aktiven Navy Seals, Veteranenehrungen und Ähnliches. Des Weiteren veranstaltet das Museum Exkursionen für Schüler und Studenten, welche von über 50.000 Schülern pro Jahr besucht werden, und Nachtwanderungen für über 5.000 Kindern jährlich. Der Besuch des Schiffes beinhaltet eine ungeführte Audiotour, welche von U.S. Matrosen eingesprochen wurde, und zeigt über 60 Ausstellungsräume, unter anderem Maschinenräume, Schlafräume, die Brücke und das Flugdeck. Auch ausgestellt sind 29 verschiedene Flugzeuge. Weitere Attraktionen wie Cockpit-Besichtigungen, Videos, Flugsimulatoren und eine Tour für jüngere Besucher sind ebenfalls vorhanden. Abgesehen von den Touristen ist das Schiff auch beliebt in der Welt der Medien geworden. So gab es 2012 eine landesweite Ausstrahlung des NCAA-Basketballspiels zwischen der Michigan State University und der Syracuse University. Des Weiteren haben viele Fernsehsender auf dem Schiff verschiedene Serien gedreht, zum Beispiel American Idol, Travel Network, Discovery Channel, FOX News, The Bachelor, Extreme Makeover, History Channel und Military Channel.

 

(Wikipedia)

 

Die Grumman E-2 Hawkeye ist ein allwetterfähiges, trägergestütztes Frühwarnflugzeug.

 

Die beständigen Verbesserungen an den frühen flugzeuggestützten Radars mündeten Mitte der 1950er Jahre in dem Konzept, den Luftraum mit speziell ausgerüsteten Flugzeugen zu kontrollieren, die als Frühwarner fungierten und die Abwehrbemühungen koordinierten. Das erste Flugzeug in dieser Rolle war die Grumman E-1B Tracer (eine Variante des U-Jagd-Flugzeugs S-2 Tracker), die von 1958 bis 1977 im Einsatz war. Der Nachfolger der E-1B, die E-2 Hawkeye, war nicht nur das erste trägergestützte Flugzeug in dieser Rolle, sondern auch die als erstes speziell für diesen Einsatzzweck konstruierte Maschine. Der Erstflug des W2F-1 genannten Prototyps fand am 21. Oktober 1960 statt, nachdem im März 1957 die entsprechende Ausschreibung gewonnen wurde. Seitdem sie die E-1 im Jahr 1964 ablöste, ist die E-2 das „Auge der Flotte“. Ihre Feuertaufe hatte sie Ende 1965 im Vietnamkrieg; seitdem diente sie der Navy auf allen Konfliktschauplätzen rund um die Welt, an denen die USA Flugzeugträger im Einsatz hatten. Hawkeyes führten die F-14 Tomcat-Jäger, die 1986 während der Libyen-Krise Kampfeinsätze flogen, wobei sie in Zusammenarbeit mit den Kreuzern der Navy, die mit dem Aegis-Kampfsystem ausgerüstet waren, die Luftüberlegenheit sicherstellten. Die in der Avionik und bei den Waffencomputern modernisierte E-2B hatte am 20. Februar 1969 ihren Erstflug und kam ab 1970 zum Einsatz. Die E-2C hatte am 20. Januar 1971 ihren Erstflug. In der jüngeren Vergangenheit sorgten diese für Kommando und Kontrolle bei den Navy-Operationen im Persischen Golf, wobei sie sowohl Bodentruppen als auch Luftraumpatrouillen führten und in den ersten Kriegstagen beim Abschuss zweier irakischer MiG-21 durch F/A-18 Hornets mithalfen. E-2-Flugzeuge arbeiteten auch sehr effektiv bei „Law-Enforcement“-Aktionen im Rahmen der Anti-Drogen-Kampagnen der US-Regierung.

 

Außer der US Navy fliegen auch die französische Marine, Republik China (Taiwan), Israel und die Streitkräfte Ägyptens die Hawkeye.

 

Aktuell befindet sich die E-2D Advanced Hawkeye in Entwicklung; sie wird vermutlich das letzte Flugzeug auf Basis der E-2 Hawkeye darstellen. Die E-2D basiert auf der Hawkeye 2000 und hat erstmals ein neues drehbares Radar mit elektronischer Strahlschwenkung (APY-9 im UHF-Bereich von 10 bis 100 Zentimetern Wellenlänge). Weiterhin wurden ein verbessertes Kommunikationssystem (Link-11 und zwei Link-16) und neue Missionssysteme mit offener Systemarchitektur (beispielsweise 21-Zoll-Bildschirme) verbaut. Der Copilot kann nun bedarfsweise im ebenfalls neuen Glascockpit als vierter taktischer Operator eingesetzt werden. Ein weiteres Ziel war es, die Produktions- sowie die Wartungskosten zu senken. Der Erstflug der E-2D Delta One fand am 3. August 2007 statt. Im Jahr 2011 wurden die ersten Maschinen ausgeliefert. Die US Navy hat derzeit einen Bedarf von 75 Flugzeugen angemeldet.

 

Die Hawkeye stellt luftgestützte Frühwarn-, Kommando- und Kontrollkapazitäten für die Trägerkampfgruppe zur Verfügung. Zu den weiteren möglichen Missionen gehören die Koordination von Bodentruppenbewegungen, die Führung von Kampfflugzeugen, Abfangjägern und SAR-Einheiten sowie die Rolle eines Kommunikations-Relais. Die neueste Version E-2C (seit 1973 im Einsatz) benutzt computerunterstützte Sensoren, um Frühwarnungen, Bedrohungsanalysen und Kontrolle von Gegenmaßnahmen gegen Boden- und Luftbedrohungen bieten zu können. Konstruktiv ist die E-2 ein Hochdecker mit einem rotierenden Radardom von 7,32 m Durchmesser (24 Fuß) auf dem Rumpfrücken, in dem gestapelte Antennenelemente untergebracht sind. An den trapezförmigen Tragflächen sind zwei Allison-Propellertriebwerke mit vierblätterigen Propellern von Hamilton angebracht. Diese sind zur Unterdrückung von Radarstörungen mit einer besonderen Kunststoffbeschichtung versehen. Die komplizierten Strömungsverhältnisse um den Dom machen eine mehrteilige Heckflosse notwendig. Zur Bordausrüstung der Hawkeye gehören digitale Datenlinks wie Link 11 und Link 4, neuerdings auch Link 16, mit denen die Luftlage von den drei Systemoffizieren an Bord in Echtzeit an den Verband weitergegeben wird. Markant ist der Lufteinlauf für den Kühler der klimatisierten Kabine und die Elektronik, welcher gut sichtbar am Rumpf unter der rechten Tragfläche angebracht ist.

 

(Wikipedia)

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