"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.

Share This Article With Planet Earth

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Related Links
-
Space Technology News - Applications and Research

Israel successfully tests Arrow anti-missile system Knesset urges $1.4 billion Iron Dome buy Surface Combat Systems Center Tests Aegis BMD Capabilities Boeing And Northrop Grumman Submit Proposal For Missile Defense Competitive Contract Enhancing The Protection Of Rotary Aircraft Against Missiles Lockheed Martin Receives $34.5 Million Contract For Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb Kits $7 bn UAE missile deal expected this spring Pakistan test fires Babur cruise missile K-MAX Achieves Numerous Firsts During Recent Demo Flights AeroVironment Develops World's First Fully Operational Life-Size Hummingbird-Like Unmanned Aircraft for DARPA New wing tests for carrier drone Mumbai police to get unmanned drones to fight terror: report Northrop Grumman Next-Gen FBCB2 System Approved For Fielding Boeing To Demonstrate Aviation Command And Control Subsystem For US Marine Corps Russian defense satellite in wrong orbit Boeing To Demonstrate High-Technology, Low-Risk Solutions At AFA Air Warfare Symposium LockMart Receives Major Contract Modification For F-22 Raptor Sustainment Boeing Receives Second Option Of B-52 Engineering Sustainment Contract A Device Enables The Remote Explosion Of Improvised Land-Mines Boeing EA-18G Growlers Deployed by US Navy Boeing wins massive US air tanker contract Pentagon tanker deal boosts industry Russia heading to arms buying spree India rejects direct purchase of MH-60s US top military officer visits Gulf amid Arab revolts Taiwan cardinal eyes China-Vatican dialogue Mideast unrest puts US military access in jeopardy US: Troops' move depends on Japan Scientists Build World's First Anti-Laser Yale scientists build 'anti-laser' 'Air laser' could find bombs at a distance ONR Achieves Milestone In Free Electron Laser Program