E-8 Joint STARS
Northrop Grumman · United States · first flew 1988 · airliner
The E-8 Joint STARS is a ground-surveillance and battle-management aircraft built on the Boeing 707 airframe, carrying a large side-looking radar to track moving vehicles across a battlefield.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 46.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Boeing 707 airframe
- Canoe-shaped ventral radar fairing
- Four underwing pod engines
The unmistakable feature is the long canoe-shaped radar fairing slung beneath the forward fuselage. Otherwise it presents the classic swept-wing, four-podded profile of the Boeing 707.
Specifications
- The E-8 Joint STARS has a length of 46.6 m (153 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 44.4 m (146 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 945 km/h (587 mph).
- Typical crew: 4 flight crew plus up to 18 mission specialists.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Converting existing 707 airliners, the prototype E-8A first flew in 1988 and the type was rushed into service during the 1991 Gulf War before formal completion of testing. It became a mainstay of US airborne ground surveillance for three decades.
Variants
Development airframes were designated E-8A, with the production standard being the E-8C carrying the full operational radar and workstation suite. All were remanufactured from second-hand commercial 707s.
Where you'll see it
The RAF drew directly on the Joint STARS concept when it procured its own Sentinel R.1 ground-surveillance fleet, and British forces routinely operated alongside US E-8s in coalition campaigns. The aircraft's ability to cue strike assets against moving targets proved decisive in several operations.
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