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 Hurricane Melissa hammers the Caribbean, the U.S. Air Force’s “Hurricane Hunters” are busy flying into the massive Category 4 storm to collect atmospheric data—with one experiencing greater than expected turbulence Oct. 28.
