E-10 MC2A

infobox Aircraft
name = E-10 MC2A
type = Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)
manufacturer = Northrop Grumman


caption = E-10 MC2A Shown in E-10A Configuration
designer =
first flight =
introduced =
retired =
status = Canceled
primary user = United States Air Force
more users =
produced =
number built =
unit cost =
developed from = Boeing 767
variants with their own articles = Boeing E-767 Boeing KC-767

The Northrop Grumman E-10 MC2A was planned as a multi-role military aircraft to replace the Boeing 707 based E-3 Sentry, E-8 Joint STARS, and RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft in US service. It was based on the 767-400ER commercial airplane.

Development

In 2003, the Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and Raytheon MC2A Team was awarded a $215 million pre-SDD (System Development and Demonstration) contract for the development of the aircraft.

While the Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS aircraft are a recent development, they will be the last such type to be based on the 707. To install the high technology systems envisaged for the MC2A on an increasingly obsolete airframe would not provide the capability required. The availability of powerful and reliable turbofans allowed a twinjet to be considered.

MC2A stands for Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft. The MC2A was intended to be the ultimate theater-wide combat control center.

In August 2003 "Air International" reported that the goal of integrating air- and ground-search radars on a single airframe was abandoned. Electronic interference between the AESA and ground-surveillance radars as well as the power requirements for both systems were cited as the reason. Instead the USAF decided to plan two separate E-10 fleets to be integrated with the proposed Space-Based Radar system, air and space-based ELINT/SIGINT assets, and space-based IMINT satellites. It would have been the central command authority for all air, land, and sea forces in a combat theater. The E-10 was also considered for use as a command center for unmanned combat air vehicles.

The capability of the MC2A was to be raised incrementally, with each phase known as a "spiral."
* Spiral 1 - Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP)
This version would have provided substantial Joint Cruise Missile Defense (CMD) capability with focused AMTI modes and augment the E-8 Joint STARS in the ground surveillance role.
* Spiral 2 - AWACS Capability
This version would have replaced the E-3. It was expected that the Spiral 2 version would use a variant of the Boeing Wedgetail's Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array.
* Spiral 3 - SIGINT Platform
This version was intended to replace a wide range of SIGINT/ELINT aircraft. No plans existed to develop this version.

cale-back

In January 2006, the Air Force FY07 budget request revealed a reshaping of the E-10 program, with the cancellation of the E-10A SDD program, but maintained funding for the development and testing of a single demonstration aircraft, now known as the E-10A Technology Development Program (TDP). [http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/013006p3.xml "Boeing Polishes 737 Design For EP-3 Replacement : Mixed Signals."] Fulghum, D. A. and Wall, R. "Aviation Week & Space Technology". January 29, 2006.] The TDP would flight test the MP-RTIP Wide-Area Surveillance (WAS) radar, and conduct flight demonstrations of the E-10A's Cruise Missile Defense (CMD) Capability. The SDD elimination was designed to be a cost cutting measure and part of a larger reorganization and redefinition of the Air Force's mission including the retirement of the E-4B and F-117 fleets, as well as the elimination of all but 58 B-52s.

Cancellation

The E-10 finally disappeared at the end of FY2007 as budget pressures and competing priorities pushed it completely out of the budget. The USAF maintained funding for the MP-RTIP radar and may eventually put the radar on the E-8, or on a new aircraft, possibly the same airframe as the next aerial tanker.Tirpak, John A. [http://www.afa.org/magazine/oct2007/1007squeeze.asp "The big squeeze"] , "Air Force Magazine". October 2007.] The smaller version of the MP-RTIP AESA radar designed to be flown on the RQ-4B Global Hawk is being flight tested on the Scaled Composites Proteus aircraft. Boeing has kept the E-10 prototype (767-400ER) at Paine Field in Everett, Washington. The prototype is expected be sold to a commercial customer in the future. [ [http://www.spyflight.co.uk/767%20mc2a.htm Boeing 767-400ER E-10A] , spyflight.co.uk. web page updated 3 June 2008.]

pecifications (767-400ER)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet
ref= B767-400ER [ [http://www.boeing.com/commercial/767family/pf/pf_400prod.html Boeing 767-400ER Technical Characteristics] ]
crew=2
capacity=
length main=201 ft 4 in
length alt=61.3 m
span main=170 ft 4 in
span alt=51.9 m
height main=55 ft 4 in
height alt=16.8 m
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main=229,000 lb
empty weight alt=103,872 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=450,000 lb
max takeoff weight alt=204,116 kg
more general=
engine (jet)=P&W PW4000-94 or GE CF6-80C
type of jet=turbofan
number of jets=2
thrust main= PW: 63,300 lbf or GE: 63,500 lbf
thrust alt= PW: 281.6 kN or GE: 282.5 kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main=
afterburning thrust alt=
engine (prop)=
type of prop=
number of props=
power main=
power alt=
power original=
max speed main=Mach 0.86
max speed alt= 568 mph, 913 km/h
cruise speed main= Mach 0.80
cruise speed alt= 530 mph, 851 km/h
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 5,600 nmi
range alt= 10,370 km
ceiling main=40,100 ft
ceiling alt=12,200 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Boeing 767
* Boeing KC-767
* Boeing E-767
* Boeing 737 AEW&C
similar aircraft=
* E-3 Sentry
* Boeing EC-135
* E-8 Joint STARS
* IAI Phalcon
lists=
see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/ic/e-10a/index.html E-10 page on Boeing.com]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/e-10.htm E-10 MC2A page on Globalsecurity.org]
* [http://www.deagel.com/AEWandC-ISR-and-EW-Aircraft/E-10A_a000515001.aspx E-10A page on Deagel.com]