iscover
The First Production Northrop Grumman E-8 in Flight. All E-8s Are Being Based on Rebuilt Boeing 707 Airliner Airframes. (Northrop Grumman)
J-STARS — AWACS for the Ground
0 comment
“This difficulty of accurate recognition constitutes one of the most serious sources of friction in war, by making things appear entirely different from what one had expected …. War has a way of masking the stage with scenery crudely daubed with fearsome apparitions.” – Carl von Clausewitz
Visibility in combat – “seeing” an adversary, divining his capabilities and likely movements, and “hiding” one’s own operations – has been a major contributor to success or failure in war throughout military history. In recent years, as operations other than war, such as peace enforcement and treaty verification, have assumed greater prominence in US and allied defence planning, there has been a similar recognition of the importance of surveillance systems in meeting the needs of those charged with preventing conflict.
Advancements in materials sciences and electronics contributed significantly to the U.S.A.’s edge in stealth and surveillance during the last decade. The creation and application of stealth in airborne platforms enabled US aircraft to safely destroy sophisticated defence systems and arrive at targets undetected. During Operation Desert Storm, for example, F-117 stealth fighters equipped with laser guided weapons covered 31% of the most highly defended targets in the first 24 hours of the conflict – without a single aircraft being shot down or damaged. This stealthy force constituted only 2.5% of all aircraft deployed. The application of stealth has altered the nature of air combat, and the United States continues to develop this technology with even more capable, low observable airborne systems including the B-2 stealth bomber, the F-22 advanced tactical fighter, and the Joint Advanced Strike Technology program.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.
