E-8C STARS

1. The purpose of this background paper on the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (E-8C Joint STARS) is to describe the system’s mission and capabilities, the different contributions it has provided in past conflicts and operations, and the role the weapon system will play in future scenarios even outside of the conventional military operations.
2. The main mission of the E-8C Joint STARS is intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Gathering information from the battlefield is this weapon system’s specialty. This platform is an airborne battle management system and has the capabilities to command and control. The crew compliment of the aircraft is two pilots, a navigator, and a flight engineer. The mission aspect of the weapon system is normally crewed by 15 Air Force and three Army specialists. The E-8C Joint STARS has a powerful radar capable of covering over 19,000 square miles up to 155 miles away. The weapon system disseminates the information it collects to
While the E-8C Joint STARS will continue to play an important role in the ISR world for combatant commanders for ongoing military operations, it has already been proven effective in missions outside the military scope. U.S. Southern Command employs the weapon system for drug intervention. Pacific Air Force utilizes the aircraft to monitor North Korea during times of hostile threats.5 The E-8C can easily be employed by U.S. Northern Command to ensure border protection in the United States. With the capabilities the weapon system provides it can be foreseen that hostile forces could change their military tactics to avoid detection by such weapon system.
5. In conclusion, the purpose of this background paper on the E-8C Joint STARS is to describe the system’s mission and capabilities, the different contributions it has provided in past conflicts and operations, and the role the weapon system will play in future scenarios even outside of the conventional military