Northrop Grumman continues Joint STARS support
Northrop Grumman to execute Total System Support Responsibility in 2021 across the E-8C fleet.
The USAF has renewed its contract with Northrop Grumman for support of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS).
The latest $325 million deal for support services in 2021 follows a $309 million contract in 2020.
Northrop Grumman is prime systems integrator for all nine support and sustainment components across the USAF Joint STARS fleet, which totals 17 aircraft according to Shephard Defence Insight.
Janice Zilch, VP of manned airborne surveillance programmes at Northrop Grumman, said: ‘The overall modification and sustainment work will ensure continuous safety and system readiness for the E-8C fleet against evolving threat environments.’
Joint STARS delivers real-time battle management situational awareness by combining high-fidelity wide-area moving target detection, synthetic aperture radar imagery and robust battle management systems to locate, classify and track surface targets in all weather conditions from standoff distances.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![New Zealand to procure MH-60R and A321XLR aircraft as plan to “rebuild” the NZDF begins]()
New Zealand to procure MH-60R and A321XLR aircraft as plan to “rebuild” the NZDF begins
The MH-60R Seahawk and A321XLR aircraft are the first procurement announcements designed to help delivery of a more combat capable and interoperable fleet to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), as outlined in the New Zealand government’s April Defence Capability Plan.
-
![USAF to use augmented reality technology in F-16 cockpit]()
USAF to use augmented reality technology in F-16 cockpit
The US Air Force awarded Red6 a contract to install its ATARS software into the aircraft to provide new training solutions, following successful integrations in the T-38 Talon and MC-130.
-
![Nuclear “Manhattan Project-type endeavour” plausible for AI advancement, says UK Chief of Defence Staff]()
Nuclear “Manhattan Project-type endeavour” plausible for AI advancement, says UK Chief of Defence Staff
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin also urged caution over a “drone-tastic” way of thinking when it comes to their use alongside traditional air and underwater domain platforms.
-
![Teal Drones delivers first Black Widows as parent company reports six-month loss]()
Teal Drones delivers first Black Widows as parent company reports six-month loss
In July 2025 Teal Drones was awarded Tranche 2 of the US Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) programme for a small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS).
