A routine operational readiness inspection exercise took an unexpected turn into a real search and rescue mission, when an E-8 Joint STARS crew with the 116th Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga., was diverted to help with the rescue of a Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier pilot, whose aircraft went down at sea. Asked to leave their ORI orbit and head south off the coast of St. Augustine, Fla., the E-8 aircrew set up a new orbit and turned radio control over to the mission crew. The Joint STARS task: Establish what rescue elements were in the area and keep them de-conflicted. Rescue is not the usual fare for Joint STARS crews. After the 6.5 hour diversion, the E-8 returned to its ORI.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
