Northrop Grumman has begun closing down its E-10A Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft programme, after the US Air Force eliminated funding from its fiscal year 2008 budget.
But the company hopes the wide-area sensor (WAS) and battle management command and control system under development for the E-10 will find a new home in the USAF's fleet of Northrop E-8 JSTARS airborne ground surveillance aircraft.
The active-array WAS is being developed under the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Programme, which continues to be funded, and adapting it to the JSTARS would not be difficult, says Northrop. "We would need to change the aspect ratio, as the JSTARS radar is the same length, but 15in [380mm] shorter [in height]," it says. Fitting the WAS capability would give the E-8 a cruise-missile defence role, the company argues.
The USAF is terminating Northrop's E-10 weapon system integration contract, which includes development of the battle management command and control system, but the company believes the mission system could be used to upgrade the "back end" of the JSTARS platform, which is built around Compaq Alpha servers that are no longer produced. The aircraft could be upgraded with the WAS and battle management command and control suite in two separate phases, Northrop says.
A USAF decision on the future of the WAS and battle management command and control efforts is expected to taken this month.
"There is strong support to enhance JSTARS," says Northrop, pointing to funding for WAS included in the US Department of Defense's war-related 2008 supplemental budget request. "This would keep it [WAS] alive for JSTARS."
Source: Flight International
