Northrop upgrading USAF Joint STARS system

MELBOURNE, Fla., Oct. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. Air Force EC-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar Systems are to be refitted with new computers, signal processors and displays by Northrop Grumman.

The refit comes under a $43 million contract, which also transitions the aircraft's operator work station operating system to a LINUX-based, open-system architecture and increases bandwidth to improve communications performance.

"This transition enables our warfighters to get the most capability out of the Joint STARS system," said Bryan Lima, Joint STARS program director, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "The open-architecture technology insertion will enable cost-effective upgrades well into the future, allowing us to keep the platform relevant to address emerging threats, while also helping target and identify hostile movement more quickly and efficiently."

Joint STARS is the airborne command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for Air Force air-to-ground battle management and surveillance operations in all weather conditions.

Additional details on the work to be performed were not disclosed.