Joint STARS keeping eye on the ground

Air Force Links ^ | Feb 24, 2006 | SSgt. Kevin Nichols

[SandRat]

/24/2006 - BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- High over Iraq, an E-8C Joint STARS aircraft surveys hundreds of miles of the country at a time, looking for insurgent activity, controlling those situations and taking action if needed.

The aircraft's crew ultimately keeps ground troops safer by communicating with convoys and directing air power to quell the enemy.

The Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System mission has two parts. The first is to radio relay with convoys throughout Iraq. Through radio and a text-messaging system, convoys can contact Joint STARS for help.

Air National Guard Maj. Thomas Grabowski, senior director on the aircraft, deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga. He said the Joint STARS is the 911 call for convoys on the ground.

“So if one of these convoys gets in trouble -- they break down, they have troops in contact, small-arms fire or any type of a problem -- they call us,” Major Grabowski said. “We’re like the ‘On-Star’ for the ground commander.”

The second part of the mission is to deter insurgent activity on Iraq’s borders. Junior enlisted Airmen are in charge of the multimillion dollar radar attached to the bottom of the aircraft that zeros in on the enemy 100 to 200 miles away. Major Grabowski said the advanced system allows them to see the enemy without the enemy seeing them.

“Think about where you live at home and then think of a place 125 miles from that location. If you were to move out of your driveway and we were orbiting 125 miles away, we would see you move. So it’s that advanced,” the major said.

Joint STARS is truly a joint mission aircraft with Army, Air Force and Marine aircrew members. Air National Guard Airmen add total force flavor as well. Army Maj. Clifton Hughes, deputy mission crew commander, is also deployed from Robins. He said he works closely with Major Grabowski and the other Air Force folks on every Joint STARS mission.

“While the Army and Marines are keeping in close contact with convoy commanders, I can then coordinate with the Joint STARS Air Force assets on the aircraft to direct air support either as a show of force or to take out the enemy,” he said.

A typical mission can last from 10 to 20 hours in flight after refueling in the air. The aircraft brings such a capability to the fight that many convoys won’t go out on the road unless Joint STARS is airborne.

A total of $300 million worth of technology goes into this aircraft. What comes out is full-spectrum dominance and reconnaissance capability that ensures peace of mind to U.S. forces on the ground that someone is always watching their backs.

[SandRat]

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Master Sgt. Michael Winans checks the nose gear wheel bearing cap during his pre-flight inspection of an E-8C Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System aircraft. Joint STARS provides command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The E-8C is assigned to the 12th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron. Sergeant Winans is a flight engineer with the 116th Air Control Wing, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

[SandRat]

J-STARS from Robins GA., in the fight!!!

[Lancer_N3502A]

How bout upgrading the Joint Stars with the airborne laser for alittle air to ground barbacue...yuk yuk yuk

[Tom Bombadil]

If you were to move out of your driveway and we were orbiting 125 miles away, we would see you move.

It would be interesting to see the important piece of this puzzle.....How do you determine the significance of me and my movement?

Some things I don't really want to know.

[SandRat]

ummmmm,.... no you don't.....

[A.A. Cunningham]

[El Gato]

So when are they going to get engines for the JSTARs aircraft that would allow them to take off with a full load of fuel. The JSTARS is built on ex commercial 707 airframes. The same airframe as the AWACS (which could also use new engines) and the Navy Mercury TACAMO aircraft. The engineering to add those new engines has already been done, the DoD just needs to pony up the money for them. The Brit and French AWACS, which use the same airframe, also have newer high bypass ratio turbofans, although of a different type (Rolls Royce perhaps) than the USN Mercury. (Or for that matter active Air Force KC-135s, which are a similar but not the same airframe)

[El Gato]

It would be interesting to see the important piece of this puzzle.....How do you determine the significance of me and my movement?

Some things I don't really want to know.

They watch where you go and how you go there. Patterns is what they are looking for. If you and a few of your buddies all converge on a US or Iraqi convoy, but off to the side somewhere. They may get the notion you are up to no good, and send a Predator, F-16 or A-10 to have a look at you.