Released: Nov 14, 1997
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFNS) -- An E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft completed its maiden tour of the Pacific Nov. 10, returning to Robins Air Force Base, Ga., after participating in Foal Eagle '97.
Held in the Republic of Korea, Foal Eagle is the largest air base defense exercise in the free world, and brings together nearly 33,000 U.S. servicemembers and hundreds of thousands of Republic of Korea forces.
Flying out of Kadena Air Base, Japan, the Joint STARS crew provided support to military commanders in South Korea during the exercise. Their mission was to track troop movements and provide information to battle commanders.
On its way home, the 93rd Air Control Wing aircrew stopped here to brief Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, commander in chief, U.S. Pacific Command, and the component commanders from each of military services on the system's capability and its participation in Foal Eagle '97.
Ground surveillance and battle management are Joint STARS primary products. The E-8C aircraft provides ground commanders a birds-eye view of the battlefield when its systems transmit images to U.S. Army ground station modules. Both Army and Air Force crewmembers man the aircraft, bringing together talents from both air and ground warfare.
Joint STARS functions as part of a larger interlink communication system that includes Airborne Warning and Control Systems, Air Defense Operations Centers, fighter aircraft, Navy ships, unmanned aerospace vehicles, and U2 reconnaissance aircraft.