E-8C Joint-STARS and other intelligence aircraft face cutbacks

摘要

In the wake of the cancellation of major aircraft programmes, the US Air Force is now putting a haltrnto some upgrades of existing aircraft that were meant to compensate for the cancellations. Included are upgrades tornintelligence, surveillance and reconnaissancern(ISR) platforms that until now were favouritesrnof Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Hardestrnhit is the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target AttackrnRadar System (J-STARS).