JSTARS last operational flight

[ORAC]

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...tional-mission

E-8 JSTARS Has Flown Its Last Operational Mission

After more than two decades in which it has provided critical intelligence and battle management in theaters around the world, the U.S. Air Force’s E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) has completed its operational service. While the retirement of the E-8C had been known for some time, it remained a long-running source of debate, especially since these aircraft are being withdrawn without a direct replacement.

The end of the line for the E-8C was announced today by the 116th Air Control Wing, part of the Georgia Air National Guard, stationed at Robins Air Force Base.

“After twenty-two years of dedicated service, the E-8C JSTARS aircraft has flown its last operational mission,” the wing stated. “The E-8C JSTARS has played a vital role in countless operations, supporting troops and safeguarding nations. Thank you to the many members that enabled this mission to be a success over the last two decades.”

We have reached out to the 116th Air Control Wing and the Air National Guard for further information, but it seems certain that the JSTARS has now flown its last operational sortie….

[tdracer]

What am I missing here? Presumably the JSTARS provided value (or it would have been taken out of service long ago), the airframes are not all that old (much younger than KC-135), and no replacement capability?
Like I said, what am I missing here?

[GlobalNav]

Originally Posted by tdracer

What am I missing here? Presumably the JSTARS provided value (or it would have been taken out of service long ago), the airframes are not all that old (much younger than KC-135), and no replacement capability?
Like I said, what am I missing here?

Lack of will to provide a force multiplier, especially for the ground war. Not unlike the past lapses in CAS, SAR and EW, which only become "valuable" when fighting an actual war, only then there is a lead time to restore meaningful capability. I suspect the focus on China and the type of stand-off war an east Asia conflict is expected to be.
I'm not justifying it.

[mmitch]

An aircraft labelled JStars was until recently to be seen on FR24 flying over Poland near the Kalingrad border.
Is there nothing to replace it?
mmitch.

[Davef68]

Originally Posted by mmitch

An aircraft labelled JStars was until recently to be seen on FR24 flying over Poland near the Kalingrad border.
Is there nothing to replace it?
mmitch.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/y...eplace-jstars/

[k3k3]

Originally Posted by tdracer

What am I missing here? Presumably the JSTARS provided value (or it would have been taken out of service long ago), the airframes are not all that old (much younger than KC-135), and no replacement capability?
Like I said, what am I missing here?

The JSTARS aircraft were all ex-airline 707s, so have much higher flying hours and cycles than any military aircraft. They may be having problems obtaining spares in much the same way other 707 derived platforms like the E3 and E6, both of which are on the way out.

[SLXOwft]

Originally they were expected to serve into the 2030s but budget cuts led to an earlier OSD. Replacement based on a bizjet was looked at through the 2010s and finally canned in 2019 with the money diverted to ABMS. The view appears to be that networked sensor platforms e.g. RQ-4B and linking through the E-11A BACN etc under the much vaunted ABMS program(me) are the way forward rather than a dedicated platform. On a thread drift note, I see one of the two Combat Sent RC-135Us has been operating off Syria, it was trundling up the Adriatic this morning which led me to wonder if it's changing focus or just on its way home to Offutt.

[ORAC]

I believe the 2 airframes are the ex-RAF Sentinel which were bought back and are now on the US register…

https://www.scramble.nl/military-new...00-for-us-army