The Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman $12.5 million to begin the engineering process to replace the engines on the service’s fleet of E-8 Joint STARS ground surveillance aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is supplying the JT8D-219 engines.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
