[MilCom] Fwd: [MilRadioComms] Melbourne Based JSTARS 90-0175 has new engines

[AllanStern at aol.com]

Northrop Grumman's Joint STARS Takes to the Sky with New  Engines

MELBOURNE, FL, Dec 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop  Grumman's E-8C 
Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System's (Joint STARS)  T-3 testbed 
aircraft successfully completed its "first flight" using new,  upgraded 
Pratt 
and Whitney production-configured engines.

"After  three years of design, production, and testing, we are so pleased 
to 
have  this important capability ready for full integration into the fleet," 
said  Bryan Lima, Northrop Grumman program director for Joint STARS 
development  and modernization. "Our success is directly attributed to our 
outstanding  relationship with our government customer and industry 
partners 
in providing  the warfighter with this important capability."

The new engines flown on  T-3 are an upgrade to the existing commercial 
engines in that they feature a  newly designed pneumatic system. The 
system, 
designed by Northrop Grumman,  uses a single-stage precooling design that 
vastly improves reliability and  the hardware's life cycle.

The new precooler allows hot compressed air  from the engines turbines to 
be 
processed at a substantially cooler  temperature and more consistent 
pressure 
level than its predecessor. This  improves the efficiency of the Air Cycle 
Machines which cools the aircraft's  environmental control system, cabin, 
and 
Prime Mission Equipment, as well as  pressurizes the utility hydraulic 
subsystem, engine starting capability, and  liquid cooling system.

The new engine on T-3 allows for an increased  mission-capable rate and 
lowered ownership costs. The re-engining of the  fleet has the potential to 
provide the Joint STARS system with significant  operational and 
maintenance 
improvements.

In addition to enhancing  operational performance, the new engines pay for 
themselves within eight  years through reduced maintenance cost and better 
fuel  efficiency.

Today, the Joint STARS fleet is the only all-weather,  long-range, 
real-time, 
wide-area surveillance and battle management and  command and control 
weapons 
system in the world. It is flown by the 116th  and 461st Air Control Wings 
based on Warner Robins AFB, GA.

To date,  Joint STARS has accumulated over 70,000 combat hours supporting 
operations,  including ongoing support to Operation New Dawn over Iraq, 
Operation  Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan, and Operation Odyssey Dawn 
over  
Libya.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company  providing innovative 
systems, products and solutions in aerospace,  electronics, information 
systems, and technical services to government and  commercial customers 
worldwide.

Please visit www.northropgrumman.com  for more information.

AL STERN  Satellite Beach  FL
AllanStern at aol.com
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