Lockheed Martin’s DREXR upgrade boosts E-2D Advanced Hawkeye capabilities

SYRACUSE, N.Y., April 21, 2026 — Lockheed Martin, in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, has completed flight testing of the Digital Receiver Exciter Recorder (DREXR) upgrade for the U.S. Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.

The companies said the tests are intended to strengthen the Navy’s ability to detect, track and counter evolving threats in contested and austere environments, enhancing commanders’ situational awareness and decision-making speed across the battlespace.

“The successful DREXR flight tests demonstrate our commitment to keeping the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye at the forefront of airborne early warning and battle management,” said Rick Cordaro, vice president of Lockheed Martin Radar and Sensor Systems. “By modernizing this proven platform, we are ensuring it remains a critical enabler for force protection, command and control, and mission success in today’s increasingly complex threat environment.”

DREXR is described as a compact, single-box upgrade that replaces the current Exciter and Receiver subsystems to deliver next-generation radar performance and extend the operational life of the platform. During flight testing, the team validated wideband transmit and receive, independent transmit per radar element, and software-defined waveform functionality. The integrated recorder collected radar data to support mission analysis and ongoing advanced capability development, including artificial intelligence.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is an airborne early warning and battle management platform that connects air, sea and joint forces into a single operational network. Its APY-9 radar, mission computer and integrated sensor suite enable multi-domain, multi-mission operations from both land and sea, with ongoing modernization aimed at interoperability, operational resilience and sustained mission readiness.