Engines
Does JSTARS Demise Spell End for Airborne ISR?
Space-based reconnaissance and advanced networking offer a paradigm shift for airborne ISR.
A graphic from Lockheed Martin suggests an environment for the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) that the U.S. Air Force is seeking.
A graphic from Lockheed Martin suggests an environment for the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) that the U.S. Air Force is seeking.

Are airborne ISR platforms becoming too vulnerable to air defense systems? Last year’s decision by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to cancel its JSTARS replacement was partly driven by this fear. But it was also because of the amazing capabilities now available from reconnaissance satellites, and an ambitious aim to intelligently network a variety of sensors from all domains.

The 17 E-8C Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) airframes are based on the Boeing 707 and are now more than 50 years old. They perform onboard battle management as well as radar imaging. But their availability is down to 40 percent.

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