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| Northrop Grumman E-8 J-STARS |
Militarymedia.net - The E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack System (J-STARS) was developed by the main contractor Grumman (now Northrop Grumman) and made its 'star' debut in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm long before it was considered operational.
Based on the boeing 707-300 fuselage, the E-8 provides the type of capability to monitor and control ground combat that the E-3 provides for aerial combat. The E-8's main mission system is the AN/APY-3 multi-mode multi-mode radar whose antennas are placed in large ventral canoe fairing. Radar allows onboard controllers to monitor the position and movement of all ground vehicles, as well as serve other functions. It can also distinguish between wheeled and tracked vehicles.
Two E-8A prototypes were deployed during Desert Storm, but now only serve as training roles. The USAF operational variant is the E-8C and is responsible for ground surveillance, targeting, attack and battlefield management as well as bomb damage assessment. The E-8's communications and electronic systems also play a role in suppressing enemy air defenses and detecting elusive ground targets such as mobile missile launchers.
The USAF E-8C is being progressively improved through gradual improvement; in 2006 the block 50 upgrade was carried out. He added a new AN/APY-X radar with new capabilities such as automatic target recognition, helicopter detection and tracking, electronic intelligence gathering, and maritime detection.
By 2000 the USAF had ordered a total of 14 E-8C and ultimately intended to acquire 19 aircraft. Eight operational examples served with the 93rd Air Control Wing at robins air force base, Georgia. The USAF is considering re-engineering the E-8C fleet with the CFM56 power plant.
In 1999 a Team of Raytheon and Bombardier was selected to provide systems and platforms to meet the requirements of the RAF's ASTOR (Airborne Stand-Off Radar). ASTOR is similar to J-STARS and had to start operating in 2004. ASTOR incorporates certain features intended for future use of J-STARS that make it more capable than contemporary US E-8 standards.
