USAF can't afford JSTARS replacement

Flight Global ^ | 3/20/2012 | Dave Majumdat

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The US Air Force has completed an analysis of alternatives (AOA) for its next generation ground moving target indication (GMTI) radar aircraft fleet, but top service officials say the service can't afford to implement the study's recommendations.

"The reality is there is not enough space to undertake a new start business-class ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] platform," USAF chief of staff Gen Norton Schwartz told the US Senate Armed Services Committee on 20 March. "We simply don't have the resources."

The USAF approved the study in January and forwarded it on to the US Department of Defense's office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) for review. The CAPE has to give its assent before the AOA is formally approved.

While the air force analysis calls for a mix of unmanned Northrop Grumman Block 40 RQ-4B Global Hawks and business jet-based ISR aircraft, Schwartz says the service will have to soldier on without a new manned platform. Instead, he says, the current Northrop E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) will have to do.

[I cannot think of a name]

There was some incredible engineering talent at Boeing in the late 40’s through the 50’s. I firmly believe the B-52 and 707 will both make the 100 year mark.

[Red Dog #1]

"I firmly believe the B-52 and 707 will both make the 100 year mark."

Another sad example of how we're cannibalizing the past for the moment. It's a common theme in Obama's America.

[U-238]

The USAF is already beginning a new bomber program. The B-52 is way too old and cannot penetrate the new and ever improving air defense networks.

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2012/02/24/afa-new-bomber-program-underway/

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The Air Force also is looking into a pilot optional bomber.

[I cannot think of a name]

Actually, the B-52 was already programmed to fly through 2034, and that happened while GWB was President. Both it and the 707-300 (which is what J-STARS is based on) remain designs of unmatched strength and versatility. None of the later airline designs, by Boeing or anyone else for that matter, will ever fly as long as the 707 has. And as far as the B-52 goes, yes there will be lots of high tech gee whiz stuff created - but they will replace the B-1 and B-2.

As long as there are nut-ball crazies riding around in pick-up trucks with RPGs, we will need some large, slow, dependable aircraft to drop iron bombs on them. Many have been designed to supplant the BUFF, they are all gone.

[U-238]

You are forgetting the S-300,S-400 and the new Pantsir-S1 missiles that are being deployed in Syria, Russia and China.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/dti/2010/05/01/DT_05_01_2010_p20-218259.xml&headline=Russia%20Upgrades%20Air%20Defenses&channel=defense

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Ping

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It is evident that, once the S-400(SA-20) completes its final tests and enters production, it will quickly become one of the most sought after missile defense systems in the world.

http://www.missilethreat.com/missiledefensesystems/id.52/system_detail.asp

[doorgunner69]

Damn, thought I read that JSTARS was not fully operational during Deseet Storm, but deployed anyway. to good use.

Makes ya feel old how fast things march on. Now it is obsolete and needs replacint?

[U-238]

JSTARS contract was given in 1985 and it was introduced in 1991. Its been a while.

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It has flown over 63,000 hours and 5000 combat missions in the last 20 years.

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CORRECTION:It has flown over 63,000 hours and 5000 combat missions from 2001-2011

[Liberty Valance]

[I cannot think of a name]

“It is evident that, once the S-400(SA-20) completes its final tests and enters production, it will quickly become one of the most sought after missile defense systems in the world.”

Yes, please give it to them, all of them. Anything high tech can be found - and destroyed. The thing that we have no answer for is super low tech - like the morons we have to face in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is simply no answer to them.

Oh wait, yea there is one answer to them.

This quadrant of the map - we know they are in there, but we can't find them and we can't detect them. But we can carpet bomb the snot out of them. And when that decision is made, the Big Ugly Fat F——er is called in.

And at the rate those people reproduce, I expect there will be ones that need killing for a long, long time.

[U-238]

Meanwhile, the B-52 penetrating Russian or Chinese air defense is getting more and more difficult.

[U-238]

The X-15 is the greatest planes ever built. During the program, during 13 different flights by eight pilots earned their astronaut wings.

[DesertRhino]

“Meanwhile, the B-52 penetrating Russian or Chinese air defense is getting more and more difficult.”

In this day and age,, that would be as archaic as parchuting in a team to blow up the Guns of Navarone.
Today, there would be 2 cruise missiles fired from a sub,, and the movie would only last a couple of minutes.
Ohhh,,, and the coastal gun are also obsolete.

B-52s are awesome where we have air supremacy, but we have far better missile and precision options in the nutty event of a world war with China or Russia.

[U-238]

I agree with you 100 percent. You hit the nail on the head.

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Russian Air Defenses