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The article focuses on the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS), a U.S. Air Force battle management and command control aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman. The Joint STAR is equipped with four Pratt and Whitney TF33-102C engines and AN/APY-7 radar developed by the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. It is capable of classifying, tracking and targeting hostile ground movements and it has an optimum orbit speed to 449 to 587 miles per hour. The history of the Joint STAR program is also discussed.

The article focuses on the problems encountered by the U.S. Air Force related to targeting and weapon guidance systems for bombing at night during the Operation Rolling Thunder in Vietnam. In the operation, the Air Force deployed its F-105, a nuclear bomber. However, the F-105 radar delivery modes with conventional bombs dropped during the operation encountered circular error averages.

Explores the utility of active electronically-scanned array fighter radars in the U.S. Air Force. Initial operational capability; Electronic warfare jamming functions.

Reports that the US Air Force rushed two of a new type of radar aircraft to the Gulf, midway through the product's development. Successful trials of the Joint Surveillance Target and Attack Radar System (JSTARS); Request of Norman Schwarzkopf; Modification of Boeing airliners; What the radar beam can do; More.

The article reports that radar programs in the U.S. are still on a red watch list of troubled programs as Air Force acquisition chief Sue Payton prepares to leave office. Two of them are the next-generation radar slated for use by the U.S. Air Force and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for ground surveillance missions and the B-2 radar modernization program managed by Northrop Grumman. Payton says by the time she leaves office, she expects the program to progress to yellow status, signaling an improvement.

The article discusses the anticipated modernization of the F-15E strike fighter of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) by Boeing. An overhaul of the electronic warfare system is one of the key elements of the expected upgrade. The modification agenda includes the addition of a fiber-optic towed decoy (FOTD) and upgrading of the radar. Another aircraft that will likely undergo enhancements is the F-15C/D.

The article reports that the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is planning an October 11, 2005 selection of the contractor to lead development of B-52 modifications that would make it capable of long-range electronic jamming and the management of a large number of electronic attack weapons distributed across the battlefield in other aircraft. The proposed USAF arsenal is to include unmanned aircraft, decoys, computer attack, new radars that can jam or disable enemy electronics and two new tools. Northrop Grumman Corp. officials won't discuss the effective distance of the B-52's jamming except to say it allows the bomber to operate beyond the range of surface-to-air missiles.

The article reports that visual stealth is reemerging as a major concern for military and aerospace planners. That means reducing radar cross section and cutting infrared signature won't be enough. Work on stealth for low-flying aircraft slowed in the 1980s after the U.S. Air Force tacticians realized that high-flying aircraft and missiles could survive even sophisticated enemy defenses. Bell Helicopter is representative of this reinvigorated interest. The company is doubling its technology investment.

This article discusses the development of airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors and airborne radar technology for use by the U.S. Air Force (USAF). Topics include the development of laser-based radar (Lidar) sensor technology for use in helicopter safety, the growing use of short-range, high-resolution radar systems in conjunction with infrared (IR) and visual imaging, and the announcement of U.S. radar technology exports and contracts.

The article focuses on competition between aerospace and defense corporations Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. over the U.S. Air Force's ground-surveillance program. It states that Boeing has proposed a new aircraft to the Air Force as the Air Force conducts an analysis of alternatives concerning its ground surveillance collection program. It mentions that Northrop Grumman has presented a revised proposal to add cheek array radars designed from the company's sensors designed for the Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 programs. It talks about the effect reduced defense budget spending has had on business strategies in both Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

The article focuses on the U.S. Air Force's Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor. MP-RTIP was originally called a multi-platform program because it was supposed to fly on the Global Hawk Block 40 as well as the defunct E-10, which had been the slated successor to the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System. Testing of the sensor is continuing and officials are confident that they have surpassed some of the more complex technical challenges with new modes for the system.

The article reports on the search through the U.S. Air Force's inventory of aircraft to find those that could carry the advanced, full-sized radar developed for the now-canceled E-10 multi-sensor command and control aircraft. Accordingly, U.S. Air Force and program officials developing the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) are being told to study the viability of mounting their high-powered, active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar on the E-8C Joint Stars or even the new Northrop-EADS KC-45 tanker.

The article reports that French engineering company Geci has launched a program to raise €20 million to build a utility airplane for the airfreight and commuter markets. Scientists at Georgia Tech Research Institute have patented a digital crystal video receiver (DCVR) that could increase reliability of radar warning receivers. The U.S. Air Force is conducting aerodynamic tests of a 2% model of a blended-wing-body (BWB) design at the Arnold Engineering Development Center.

The article reports on the capability of the F-22 Raptor stealth aircraft of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). USAF realize that with all the extremely detailed optical and electronic information it can detect, the Raptor has a real-time intelligence gathering and fusion capability. It initially settled on the Tactical Targeting Network Technology as a stealthy link. The service has just awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin to develop and demonstrate an X-band Radar Common Data Link.

The article reports on the plans by U.S. Air Force General Ronald Keys to upgrade the radar capabilities of older aircraft of the Air Force. He looks to install active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, with predicted range up to 250 miles and jamming capability on 220 F-15E Strike Eagles and 178 F-15C Eagles.

This article presents information on recent developments in the U.S. aerospace industry. National security space programs still are recovering from fiscal 2005 budget debate that left several of them in shambles and storm clouds already are gathering for fiscal 2006. Air Force officials are scrambling to rebuild the Space-Based Radar (SBR) program, slashed by Congress. But next year's SBR debate could feature a new twist, now that key Democratic senators have signaled an all-out attempt to kill a potentially competing surveillance satellite program — a classified National Reconnaissance Office radar-evading spacecraft.

Reports that the United States Air Force is considering expanding the missions for its future manned ground surveillance radar system. Deferral in the selection of new intelligence-gathering aircraft; Radar Technology Insertion Program; E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System.

The article focuses on the evolution of air defense command and point interceptor. By mid-1949, the Soviets had tested an atomic bomb and, according to intelligence estimates, were building aircraft capable of reaching the continental U.S. More significant, the U.S. military was not adequately prepared to meet the emerging threat. There was no effective early warning system, and the only aircraft available to intercept a potential Soviet bomber force were obsolescent radar-equipped and propeller-driven planes. The Air Defense Command (ADC) had been created in early 1946 as part of a general postwar U.S. Army Air Forces reorganization and was absorbed into the newly independent U.S. Air Force in July 1947

The article examines the U.S. Air Force's use of civilian volunteers to detect Soviet military aircraft through a revival of the Ground Observer Corps. The eventual replacement of civilian volunteers by improved radar detection systems and military defense technology, such as Distant Early Warning Radar, is explained.

The article reports on the move of the U.S. Air Force to award a risk reduction study contract worth $5.8 million to Northrop Grumman Corp. for its E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) program. According to the article, the research will focus on risk reduction efforts for adapting wide area surveillance. In addition, it states that the study will also provide improved situational awareness for tracking the ground during operations.

The article reports on the construction of U.S. Air Force's first site for Space Fence on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Space Fence is an advanced ground-based radar system that will enhance the way the U.S. detects, tracks, measures and catalogs orbiting objects and space debris. Using new S-band technology, the system will also offer the U.S. with better timeliness and increased surveillance coverage.

The article reports on a fixed-price contract worth 25 million dollars awarded to Lockheed Martin from the U.S. Air Force. Lockheed was among the two teams chosen for the technical development of a new land-based radar system. According to Carl Bannar, Vice President of Lockheed's radar businessm, the company is also expected to leverage the years of experience to develop transportable long-range radars in providing the Air Force with a radar which can meet mission requirements.

The article discusses the collaboration of Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon Co. in a program to modernize the B-2 stealth bombers' radar system with an advanced antenna as part of the contract awarded by the U.S. Air Force. The team had delivered the first test model of the radar to the Air Force for integration, test and software development and completed a suite of tests that proves the compatibility of the hardware and software.

In this article, the author reports on the introduction of high-resolution synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) systems and the first optical communication installation in 1970s. The author says that the first full-scale development radar for the U.S. Air Force F-16 multi-role air-combat fighter was delivered to General Dynamics Corp. in the spring of 1977.

The article reports that Northrop Grumman Corp. was awarded two separate contracts from the U.S. Air Force Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in the U.S. The company has been assigned to provide navigational and weather radars for the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserves and Air National Guard. The two separates contract awards are living proof of the Air Force's confidence and trust on their products and services.

The author explores the state of the airborne electronic attack (AEA) system of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). According to the author, the Compass Call program characterizes what is happening in AEA. He observes that the original AEA system of systems architecture of the DOD is falling apart. In addition, the author mentions the position of the Air Force on a study that looked at radar AEA.