Northrop Grumman E-8C JSTARS #9
by Arthur Eggers
Title
Northrop Grumman E-8C JSTARS #9
Artist
Arthur Eggers
Medium
Digital Art - Color Print
Description
The Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) is a United States Air Force Airborne ground surveillance, battle management and command and control aircraft. The aircraft are remanufactured at Northrop Grumman in Lake Charles, Louisiana, then transferred to the Battle Management Systems Division in Melbourne, Florida where the electronics are installed and tested. It tracks ground vehicles and some aircraft, collects imagery, and relays tactical pictures to ground and air theater commanders. The aircraft is operated by both active duty Air Force and Air National Guard units and also carries specially trained U.S. Army personnel as additional flight crew. The E-8C can respond quickly and effectively to support worldwide military contingency operations. It is a jam-resistant system capable of operating while experiencing heavy electronic countermeasures. The 461st Air Control Wing (461 ACW) is the only active duty Air Force wing operating the E-8C Joint STARS, an advanced ground surveillance and battle management system. Joint STARS detects, locates, classifies, tracks and targets ground movements on the battlefield, communicating real-time information through secure data links with U.S. Forces command posts. The wing was redesignated as the 461 ACW and activated in October 2011 when the regular Air Force assumed associate responsibility to the 116th Air Control Wing, Georgia Air National Guard for the JSTARS mission. The 116 ACW has been heavily involved in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning high marks for operational effectiveness. The wing took delivery of the 17th and final E-8C on 23 March 2005. On 1 October 2011, the "blended" wing construct of the 116 ACW, combining Air National Guard and Regular Air Force personnel in a single unit was discontinued. On this date, the 461 ACW was established at Robins AFB as the Air Force's sole active duty E-8C JSTARS wing while the 116 ACW reverted to a traditional Air National Guard wing within the Georgia Air National Guard. Both units share the same E-8C aircraft and will often fly with mixed crews, but now function as separate units.
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March 15th, 2015
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