E-8C J-STARS supports Joint Surface Warfare/Joint Capability Technology Demonstration

[Someoneforyou]

UNITED STATES - 19 JANUARY 2011

Northrop Grumman's (NYSE:NOC) E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) test bed aircraft recently completed the second of two deployments to Naval Air Station Pt. Mugu, Calif., in support of the U.S. Navy Joint Surface Warfare (JSuW) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) to test its Network-Enabled Weapon (NEW) architecture.

The Joint STARS aircraft executed three Operational Utility Assessment flights and demonstrated its ability to guide anti-ship weapons against surface combatants at a variety of standoff distances in the NEW architecture. The Joint STARS aircraft served as the network command-and-control node, as well as a node for transmitting in-flight target message updates to an AGM-154 C-1 Joint Standoff Weapon carried by Navy F/A-18's using its advanced long range tracking and targeting capability.

"The demonstration enabled participants to see how Joint STARS helps protect pilots by enabling the delivery aircraft to stay out of the anti-aircraft missile envelope of warships and shore based anti-aircraft missile batteries," said Jay Casey, Northrop Grumman JSuW program manager.

"The fact that Joint STARS performed almost flawlessly is a testament to the exceptional efforts by the team and will help bring this critical net enabled weapons capability to the warfighter," said U.S. Navy Capt. Carl Chebi, Precision Strike Weapons program manager.

"This JSuW JCTD leverages the investment made in the successful DARPA Affordable Moving Surface Target Engagement program and is a follow-on to Joint STARS' participation in the Air Force's Resultant Fury demonstration. The results of this demonstration today using the Enhanced Land/Maritime Mode (ELMM) capability again shows the value Joint STARS provides to our joint forces. In 2011, Northrop Grumman will begin to integrate the ELMM capability across the entire 17-aircraft fleet," said Casey.

"The capability developed in this JCTD will provide a quantum leap in a commander's ability to conduct surface warfare with increased lethality to enemy forces and increased survivability of friendly forces," said Brittany Ridings, U.S. Air Force JSuW program manager. "From the Joint STARS perspective, the demonstration was completely successful, as we were able to meet all objectives. We transmitted a series of in-flight target update messages that were received and positively acknowledged, and the simulation indicated that the weapon would hit its target effectively."

Today, the 17-aircraft Joint STARS fleet is the only all-weather, long-range, real-time, wide area surveillance and battle management and command and control weapons system in the world. It is flown by the 116th Air Control Wing based on Warner Robins, Ga. and since 2001, the crews have flown over 63,000 hours in 5,200 combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

On Jan. 14, 2011, the weapons system will mark the 20th anniversary of its first operational combat sortie in support of Operation Desert Storm. A developmental test aircraft system at that time, two E-8A aircraft were called into theatre in January 1991 by then Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.

A Northrop Grumman Corporation E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) test bed aircraft prepares for a test flight of the Network Enabled Weapon (NEW) architecture from Pt. Mugu Naval Air Station in support of the U.S. Navy Joint Surface Warfare (JSuW) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD).

Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation

 

[Someoneforyou]

Northrop Grumman's Joint STARS Re-Engining Program Completes Preliminary Design Review for Updated Bleed Air System
UNITED STATES - 9 FEBRUARY 2011

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) recently completed the JT8D propulsion pod's bleed air system's preliminary design review (PDR) for the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS).

"The successful completion of the PDR indicates that the design is extremely mature and will meet the Joint STARS mission requirements," said Steve Pauly, Northrop Grumman program director for Joint STARS Development and Modernization. "This significant design effort has been a major focus of the Re-Engining development program."

The Northrop Grumman program team is re-designing the E-8C's commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) bleed air system's equipment in support of the Joint STARS Re-Engining program.

The main function of the bleed air system is to extract high-pressured hot air generated from the JT8D's engines and convert it into cool air. The resulting cool air pressurizes the Air Cycle Machines (ACM) which cools the aircraft's environmental control system, cabin and prime mission equipment (PME), as well as pressurizes the utility hydraulic subsystem, engine starting capability and liquid cooling system.

"The newly designed bleed air system will be installed and flight tested towards the middle of next year," stated Pauly. "This is a major step toward clearing the way for full production and installation of the new JT8D propulsion pod system."

Today, the 17-aircraft Joint STARS fleet is the only all-weather, long-range, real-time, wide area surveillance and battle management and command and control weapons system in the world. It is flown by the 116th Air Control Wing based on Warner Robins, Ga. and since 2001, the crews have flown over 63,000 hours in 5,200 combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

On Jan. 14, 2011, the weapons system marked the 20th anniversary of its first operational combat sortie in support of Operation Desert Storm. A developmental test aircraft system at that time, two E-8A aircraft were called into theatre in January 1991 by then General Norman Schwarzkopf.

Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation


File Photo: U.S. Air Force E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS).

 

[Someoneforyou]

Pratt & Whitney to Deliver First JT8D-219 Engine for Re-engined Joint STARS Aircraft
UNITED STATES - 4 MARCH 2011

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. | Pratt & Whitney will deliver its first reconfigured JT8D-219 engine, to Northrop Grumman later this month as part of the U.S. Air Force's re-engined E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft program. This delivery comes on the heels of FAA certification of several modifications to the engine. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company.

"This delivery is yet another notable milestone in the long history of the JT8D engine," said Bev Deachin, vice president, Military Programs and Customer Support, Pratt & Whitney. "The JT8D-219 engine will enable a re-engined Joint STARS aircraft to operate with more thrust, while consuming less fuel, compared to the TF33 engines originally installed. This gives the Joint STARS aircraft higher operational altitude and longer mission duration, while significantly reducing the maintenance burden of the older engines. It's a win-win proposition for our U.S. Air Force customer."

Among the engine's configuration modifications are: a nickel high-pressure compressor rotor system that provides enhanced corrosion resistance, external changes to accommodate mounting the engine under the aircraft's wing, an enhanced bleed override system, and higher load-carrying towershaft and gearbox elements to accommodate increased power extraction.

If the U.S. Air Force chooses to retrofit its entire Joint STARS fleet, production quantities could be in excess of 80 engines. The JT8D-219 engine is assembled and tested in Pratt & Whitney's Middletown, Conn., facility.

The current commercial JT8D-219 engine with external modifications has been certified to support B707 re-engining via the Supplemental Type Certificate approved by the FAA for Pratt & Whitney's Joint Venture partner, Seven Q Seven. Seven Q Seven is a San Antonio, Texas-based company that converts and upgrades aircraft, primarily Boeing 707s, for commercial and military support applications. The E-8C is a modified B707-300.

Source: Pratt & Whitney

 

[Someoneforyou]

Northrop Grumman's Joint STARS Demonstrates Multispectral Intelligence Sensor Integrated Into New Keel Beam Accessory Bay
UNITED STATES - 14 MARCH 2011

MELBOURNE, Fla. --- With the goal of reducing the sensor-to-shooter timeline to just minutes and expanding airborne ground surveillance command and control, Northrop Grumman Corporation has completed the installation and testing of a multispectral intelligence sensor housed in a new keel beam accessory bay (KAB) on a modified E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft.

"Once it is delivered, our combat commanders and joint forces will have a powerful new capability to track identified targets throughout the battle space and free up other sensors to support operational needs," said Mike Mos, director of Joint STARS' architectures and concept demonstrations for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

The installation and test examined the use of the MS-177 camera, a 500-pound multispectral intelligence sensor on the all-weather Joint STARS weapons system. The goal was to see how the sensor enhances combat identification in support of Joint STARS' continued role as a valued battle manager providing eyes in the sky for boots on the ground.

While in test flights off the coast of Florida, Joint STARS operators tasked the MS-177 sensor to collect information and streamed it into the battle management system already in place--producing very strong results. Joint STARS operators were able to simultaneously exploit ground moving target indication (GMTI) and high-resolution imagery which expanded situational awareness. Images were also transmitted to off-board SIPRNET elements using its beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) satellite communications system capabilities.

"From long distances, the APY-7 radar combined with the MS-177 camera could identify very clearly people, buildings, automobiles and ships," said Mos. "Coupling the electro-optical/infrared [EO/IR] capability of the MS-177 camera with the GMTI capability makes the system an even stronger force multiplier."

The Northrop Grumman technical team worked closely with the U.S. Air Force's Electronics Systems Center and Aeronautical Systems Center engineers to ensure airworthiness of the aircraft after the KAB and camera were installed, as well as a new multi-sensor fairing to support dual-sided operations.

"Flight tests on the Joint STARS test bed aircraft proved the KAB, located directly behind the APY-7 radar, can support an additional large sensor, or multiple small sensors with no impact to the system's current battle management command and control and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability," Mos said.

"Next, the team will perform more aerodynamic modeling and testing with the new fairing, and we'll continue our innovative research to see how other sensor combinations integrated into the Joint STARS weapons system could provide additional capability to combat commanders. Once the United States Air Force has completed its military utility assessment, we'll look to see how we can begin to integrate the KAB and more sensors onto the entire fleet."

The 17-aircraft Joint STARS fleet is the only all-weather, long-range, real-time, wide area surveillance and battle management and command and control weapons system in the world. It is flown by the 116th Air Control Wing based in Warner Robins, Ga., and since 2001, crews have flown over 63,000 hours in 5,200 combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.


Northrop Grumman's T-3 test bed aircraft demonstrates the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) capability of the MS-177 camera using a Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS). Melbourne is home to Joint STARS and the T-3 aircraft. The E-8C Joint STARS is the only all-weather, long-range, real-time, wide area surveillance and battle management and command and control weapon system in the world.

Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation