A familiar scene is being repeated aboard
a US Navy carrier with the long operation
of another airborne surveillance mission
drawing to an end as the crew of this E2C
Hawkeye make the final approach to a
carrier landing at dawn.
Since entering combat in 1964 during the
Vietnam War the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
has served the US Navy around the world
acting as the electronic "eyes of the fleet".
Hawkeye's from the air wing VAW-123
aboard the aircraft carrier USS America
directed a group of F14 Tomcat fighters
flying combat air patrols during operation El
Dorado, 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 and land attack
missions during the Gulf wars.
Hawkeye's have also supported the US
Coast Guard and Customs departments
during anti-drug operations.
The E-2 Hawkeye is a crucial component of
the U.S. Navy and each carrier is equipped
with five Hawkeye's allowing for continuous
24-hour-a-day operation of at least one E2
Hawkeye.
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