505th CCW helps roll out new engines on Joint STARS

  • Published
  • By Jodi Jordan
  • 505th CCW Public Affairs
MELBOURNE, Fla. --  America's combat edge got sharper this week, as the Air Force's first E-8C Joint STARS aircraft to be equipped with new engines was unveiled here Dec. 16. 

The new Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219 engines will make Joint STARS quieter, more reliable and more effective for the warfighter. Airmen from the 505th Command and Control Wing at Hurlburt Field were, and will continue to be, an integral part of the improvement. 

The Joint STARS, which stands for Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, is an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. It monitors the battlespace in near-real time through several different radar, communications and datalink systems, said Maj. Tracy Carver, E-8C Joint STARS qualified sensor officer stationed here with the 505th CCW's 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron Detachment 2. 

"Joint STARS provides critical and timely battle management, surveillance and targeting information on moving and stationary ground targets," Carver said. "It gives commanders on the ground the key information they need." 

A crowd of more than 100 distinguished visitors, government officials, contracting personnel and military member gathered in a hangar in the Northrop Grumman facility  to see the first re-engined aircraft. This test aircraft is operated by the Joint STARS Joint Task Force, for which members of Det. 2 serve as the Air Combat Command component.
 
Det. 2 is a contingent of 29 Airmen who provide warfighter expertise for Joint STARS acquisition through full-spectrum test, evaluation and advanced technology development. The Airmen of Det. 2 work closely with other members of the Joint STARS Test Force from Electronic Systems Center and the US Army to provide on-site expertise for Joint STARS modernization programs, ensuring greater operational capability reaches the war fighter, said Lt. Col. Andy Veres, commander of Det. 2. 

Veres, who has worked with Joint STARS for more than 12 years called the unveiling of the aircraft a "milestone," and expressed his enthusiasm for the entire re-engining project. 

"I'm especially proud today," Veres said. "Today, we're not just reflecting on all the accomplishments we've had in the past with Joint STARS. We're looking into the future and the next two decades with this platform." 

For Tech. Sgt. Trevor Shearer, a Joint STARS airborne intelligence technician stationed at Det. 2, seeing the aircraft with the new engines was one of the most rewarding experiences of his two and a half years with Det. 2. 

"This is definitely going to improve mission capability," Shearer said. "The Joint STARS will be able to better support the troops on the ground, and it enhances the information they can give battlefield commanders to make decisions. Seeing the final product -- it's the check is cashed; the day's finally here!" 

The Joint STARS, which is built on a modified Boeing 707 platform, is a high-demand weapons system that provides battle management and actionable information to battlefield commanders in the Global War on Terrorism. The new engines will help Joint STARS be even more effective and reliable, according to Veres. 

The 116th Air Control Wing at Robins AFB, Georgia is the only unit operating the E-8C Joint STARS. The 116th flies Joint STARS combat operations from a deployed location in Southwest Asia.
 
Specific benefits of the new engines include 17 percent greater fuel efficiency, which will increase flight and on-station duration, save on fuel costs, and reduce air refueling needs. Engine overheating, a challenge faced by current Joint STARS operators, will also be dramatically reduced with the new engines, which will help keep the Joint STARS in the air longer, even during the hottest summer months.
 
Flights on the test aircraft, known as T-3, are scheduled to begin soon. These flights, led by Electronic System Center, will be conducted by the Joint STARS Joint Test Force, including Det. 2 Airmen and Northrop Grumman personnel.