Northrop Grumman, MELBOURNE, Fla: Northrop Grumman Corporation recently completed Block 20 upgrades to the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft, bringing the entire fleet to the same “open-systems'' configuration which will allow the aircraft hardware and software to be upgraded at a lower cost while increasing mission effectiveness to meet future surveillance, targeting and battle-management requirements.
The Block 20 E-8C configuration features an integrated commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computing and signal-processing architecture that can be easily upgraded with new technology. Each airplane uses hardware from Mercury Computer Systems and Compaq Computer Corporation.
Since 2001, and through the last delivery earlier this year, all production Joint STARS aircraft were delivered in the Block 20 configuration. The most recently delivered aircraft was the last of 10 previously delivered that were upgraded to Block 20 under a computer-replacement program that provides a COTS data-processing capability.
The E-8C Joint STARS is the world's most advanced wide-area airborne ground-surveillance, targeting and battle-management system. It detects, locates, classifies, tracks and targets hostile ground movements, communicating real-time information through secure data links with U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army command posts.
Germany says adding explosive drones to weapons arsenal
Germany said Friday it would buy explosive drones for the first time as Berlin boosts investments in its armed forces...
