Northrop to upgrade E-8C central computers
Northrop Grumman has received a $17.5 million contract for a fifth generation upgrade to the central computers on 16 aircraft in the US Air Force's E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) fleet, the company announced on 3 October.
This effort will serve as a low-risk pathfinder for the air force to continue to enhance fleet capability while it develops the follow-on advanced battle management system.
Joint STARS is an all-weather, long-range, real-time, wide area surveillance and battle management and C2 weapon system. It supports battlefield commanders with real-time situational information while simultaneously transmitting target locations to aircraft and ground strike forces.
Jane Bishop, VP, manned airborne surveillance programs, Northrop Grumman, said: ‘Our latest central computer replacement programme upgrades the current computers with powerful, advanced technology running Linux - delivering a quantum leap forward to the mission system.
‘Our goal is to continue to rapidly deliver new capability to our combatant commanders to ensure that Joint STARS always provides our warfighters with information dominance for decision superiority.’
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