[MilCom] Fwd: [MilRadioComms] JSTARS expands missions across the globe

[AllanStern at aol.com]

116th Air Control Wing Public  Affairs

1/7/2013 - ROBINS  AFB, Ga. -- During November, Team Joint STARS xepanded 
their  mission by flying in five unified combatant commands within 13 days.

The  Homeland Defense, Counter Terrorism, Counter Insurgency, and 
Intelligence  Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions-strategically planned at the 
national  level-served customers in all military branches with the Coast 
Guard, law  enforcement agencies, and coalition partners.

"Flying this many  operational missions in such a short time period is not 
the norm," said Col Dean  Worley, commander, 461st Air Control Wing. "This 
combination can only be done  with extremely well-trained operations and 
maintenance personnel."

The  men and women of Joint STARS logged more than 80,000 combat hours in  
support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Odyssey 
Dawn  and Unified Protector, in preparation for November's broad mission set.  

"As Team JSTARS continues to excel, combatant commanders around the  globe 
have taken notice and recognized the value of the weapons platform."  Worley 
said. "With budget constraints being felt throughout the military, the  Air 
Force's premier command and control, intelligence, surveillance and  
reconnaissance asset is being called more often to more locations because we  give 
American taxpayers more bang for the buck."

While maintaining an  aging fleet of 16 Boeing 707-300 aircraft, the JSTARS 
team comprised  of Airmen and Soldiers are poised to continue providing a 
ready and  relevant military force to combatant commanders around the globe.

"Our  maintainers from 116th and 461st Maintenance Groups have a tremendous 
sense of  pride, dedication, and commitment, which I've witnessed time and 
time again,"  said Col Mike Gaspar, 116th Maintenance Group commander. "The 
successes of Team  JSTARS are a direct result of those men and women 
ensuring we launch every  tasked mission." 
 
Photo: Shown is T-3, the E8-C Joint STARS test  aircraft used by the JSTARS 
Test Force, which includes Airmen from the 505th  Command and Control Wing’
s 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron’s Detachment 2.  New engines were 
unveiled on T-3 at a ceremony Dec 16 in Melbourne, FL. The new  engines will make 
the aircraft quieter, more reliable and more effective for the  warfighter. 
Photo by Senior Master Sgt Tom McKenzie, 116th Public  Affairs.

Photo at 
_http://www.acc.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/081221-F-2824K-001.jpg_ 
(http://www.acc.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/081221-F-2824K-001.jpg) 
AL STERN  Satellite Beach  FL
AllanStern at aol.com
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