{"id":24691,"date":"2017-09-18T21:46:53","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T21:46:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/09\/18\/air-combant-command-head-jstars-recap-may-not-be-best-option-for-future-threat-environment\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:06:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:06:31","slug":"air-combant-command-head-jstars-recap-may-not-be-best-option-for-future-threat-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/digital-show-dailies\/afa-air-space\/2017\/09\/18\/air-combant-command-head-jstars-recap-may-not-be-best-option-for-future-threat-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Combat Command head: JSTARS recap may not be best option"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. \u2014 The Air Force\u2019s decision on whether to cancel the JSTARS recap program will be driven, in part, by whether the service can provide a similar capability by networking together its existing platforms and sensors, the head of Air Combat Command said Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the service remains in source selection for an aircraft to replace its E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, it announced last week that it was evaluating \u201calternative approaches for battlefield command and control that could be more effective in high-threat environments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the Air Force decides to retain the capability of having a centralized battle management node in the skies, service leaders believe the current acquisition approach is the correct one, said Gen. Mike Holmes, head of Air Combat Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherwise, the Air Force might be best served by networking together its current collection of aircraft, drones and sensors in an interim capability that can bridge the service\u2019s capability gap until it can field a more survivable system built to handle high-threat environments, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe question really is, how long do we continue to fund the GMTI [ground moving target indicator] capability in the classic way we\u2019ve done it: with an integrated platform that has a sensor and air battle managers onboard,\u201d that then communicate in the line of sight with people to take on tasks, he said during a Sept. 18 roundtable with reporters at the Air Force Association\u2019s annual conference. \u201cHow much of our threat environment in the future will allow us to do that?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\t