TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Northrop Grumman Corporation to upgrade Taiwan’s E-2K Hawkeye early-warning aircraft, reports said Friday (Feb. 23).

Friday’s agreement was the result of AIDC sending a delegation to visit the Singapore Airshow held Feb. 20-25, per CNA. The strategic agreement will pave the way for an upgrade of the Air Force’s six Hawkeyes, the Taichung-based defense contractor said.

The aircraft play a vital role in observing the skies around Taiwan, and in providing key information to the military, according to AIDC. The upgraded E-2K planes will continue to be useful even if Taiwan decides to procure newer E-2D versions in the future.

AIDC said it has a history of 50 years cooperating with Northrop Grumman, from joint production of the F-5 fighter jet in the 1950s, to the radars for the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF), to the recent upgrading of Taiwan’s F-16A/B to F-16V status.