The four E-8 JSTARS aircraft that were grounded for inspections at Robins AFB, Ga., returned to operational status Sept. 23. The aircraft were inspected for possible safety of flight issues after Air Force Materiel Command became concerned about a trend of mostly minor mishaps it associated with the Northrop Grumman Lake Charles Maintenance and Modification Center in Louisiana. The inspections “did reveal some concerns that warranted noting and/or correction before returning to flight,” AFMC spokesman Chuck Paone told Air Force Magazine in an email Monday afternoon. The concerns were immediately remedied at Robins, he said. Northrop Grumman JSTARS program director Bryan Lima said previously the company “is committed to quality and safety” and is “working with the Air Force to ensure that the Joint STARS aircraft are mission ready.”
As the gap between U.S. and China’s space capabilities narrows, national security space experts say the Space Force and the broader Pentagon should forge stronger connections with the Intelligence Community and NASA in order to stay ahead.
