JOINT STARS

Abstract

The Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) program produces the world's premier airborne ground surveillance platform, meeting joint combat capability requirements. The 707-based E-8C Joint STARS aircraft provides all-weather radar-derived surveillance and targeting information on moving and stationary ground targets, slowly moving rotary and fixed wing aircraft, and rotating antennas. Joint STARS provides target information for matching direct attack aircraft, standoff weapons, and ground-based attack assets against selected targets. It can be cued by other intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and target acquisition systems. This capability enables air and ground commanders to effectively make and execute battlefield decisions. It also helps achieve predictive battlespace awareness. Activities also include studies and analyses to support both current program planning and execution and future program planning. This program element enhances the warfighter's ability to achieve the joint vision of combat operations. It develops advanced battle management aids and information fusion technologies to enable rapid decisions in tracking and killing time-critical targets. Concept exploration, program definition/risk reduction efforts, and studies support continuous improvements in Command & Control and ISR (C2ISR), Network Centric Operations capabilities, and interoperability with Joint Service, Allied, and Coalition systems. These efforts include, but are not limited to: Re-Engining; Radar Modernization; interoperability with manned and unmanned platforms; space data links; advanced Battle-Management Command and Control (BMC2) concepts; Electro Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor activities; 8.33/25 kHz VHF Radio with Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) voice and data communication; ISR Constellation; Air Moving Target Indicator (AMTI); Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI); Advanced Radar Modes (ARM); Aided Target Recognition (ATR); Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)/Enhanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ESAR); Network Centric Collaborative Targeting (NCCT); Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) networking; Urgent Operational Needs (UONs);and Enhanced Land/Maritime Mode (ELMM). Additionally, Blue Force Tracking and other large airborne platform integration efforts include weapons guidance capabilities, Self Defense Suite (SDS), and radar and aircraft performance improvements. Joint Network Enabled Weapons (JNEW) efforts include participation in the Joint Surface Warfare (JSuW) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) and Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) for Network Enabled Weapons (NEW) which includes, but is not limited to Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile-Air Surface Warfare (JASSM-ASuW). All of these efforts rely on the test infrastructure provided by the Joint STARS Test Support (JETS) program and C2 Enterprise Integration Facility (CEIF). JETS includes a dedicated test aircraft, laboratories, and support facilities used by the Joint STARS Test Force (JTF) to conduct RDT&E activities. Training and support systems development efforts include, but are not limited to: Weapon Systems Trainer (WST); Navigator Training System (NTS); and Mission Crew Trainers to include a Mission Maintenance Trainer (MMT), Prime Mission Equipment-Maintenance Training Device (PME-MTD) and the Mission System Trainer (MST). Also included in this program element are programs to address Diminishing Manufacturing Sources (DMS), to include but not limited to Prime Mission Equipment (PME) DMS, Radar DMS, and Avionics DMS which includes, but is not limited to Aircraft Information Program (AIP), Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS), Communications, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) upgrades, Control and Display Unit (CDU)-800Y Replacement, Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), Embedded GPS Inertial (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM)/M-Code GPS, Digital Multi-Function Flight Display (Attitude Direction Indicator, Horizontal Situation Indicator and Attitude Heading Reference System) , a new Flight Management System (FMS), Flight Director, VOR/ILS/Marker Beacon multi-mode receiver (MMR), and digital engine instruments. A multi-phased Communications and Networking Upgrade (CNU) effort includes, but is not limited to Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS), Integrated Broadcast Services (IBS), the Family of Advanced Beyond Line of Sight Terminals (FAB-T), wideband line of sight and beyond line of sight upgrades, Advanced Tactical Data Links integration, Airborne Networking, and Network Centric operation enhancements. The Joint STARS program will coordinate with and participate in projects developing international standards (including NATO standards) to ensure joint, allied, and coalition interoperability such as Joint Surface Warfare Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JSuW JCTD) which provides Joint STARS with a prototype Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs) Guidance Capability and Joint STARS ASTOR Interoperability Program (JAIP). The JSTARS Re-Engining program provides the E-8 aircraft additional range and time on station, improved fuel economy, time to climb, and reliability. It also adds the potential for additional power generation for future systems. Efforts include non-recurring engineering, flight test, MIL-STD qualification, and flight data analysis. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational Systems Development, due to efforts supporting a post-Milestone C operational weapon system.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2011
• Source ID: 0207581F_7_3600_PB_2011
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2009 Funding Total includes $16.6M increase for Re-Engining. FY 2010 Funding Total includes $46.0M increase for Re-Engining and a $1.054M reduction for FFRDC FY 2011 Funding Total includes $68.8M increase for Re-Engining and a $0.886M reduction for fact of life changes.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• C4I
• Cyber
• Sensors
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Aircrafts
• Battle Management
• Command And Control
• Engineering
• Ground Moving Target Indicators
• Ground Proximity Warning Systems
• Information Assurance
• Line Of Sight
• Moving Target Indicator Radar
• Navigation
• Radar
• Radio Equipment
• Surface Warfare
• Synthetic Aperture Radar
• Target Recognition
• Test And Evaluation
• Warfare

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space