Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

Airman 1st Class Sarah Mattausch, an airborne radar technician assigned to the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron, trouble shoots radar issues, Jan. 7, 2009, , at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or Joint STARS, is an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. As a battle management and command and control asset, the E-8C can support the full spectrum of roles and missions from peacekeeping operations to major theater war. Airman Mattausch is a native of Valleyford, Wash., and is deployed from Robbins Air Force Base, Ga., in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Boquette/Released)

Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

1st Lt. Seth Simpson, Co-pilot assigned to the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron and Staff Sgt. Jessica Earls, a flight engineer assigned to the 7 EACCS, perform preflight procedures in the cockpit of the E-8C aircraft Jan. 7, 2009, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. The Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or Joint STARS, is an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. As a battle management and command and control asset, the E-8C can support the full spectrum of roles and missions from peacekeeping operations to major theater war. Lieutenant Simpson and Sergeant Earl are deployed from Robbins Air Force Base, Ga., in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Boquette/Released)

JSTARS provides battlefield C2ISR

Published Jan. 9, 2009
By Senior Airman Clinton Atkins
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Like a celestial halo rotating in skies above the battlefield, one airframe based in Southwest Asia provides an omnipresent situational ground assessment in the area of responsibility.

The 7th Expeditionary Air Command and Control Squadron provides battle management through Command and Control and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2ISR) throughout the entire Central Command Area of Responsibility.

"We are there every day for long periods of time. Our presence provides an in-depth understanding of how things are moving on the ground." said Lt. Col. Mack Easter, 7 EACCS commander.

By using the JSTARS' robust C2ISR capabilities, the 7 EACCS is able to provide real time situational awareness (SA) to a wide gamut of assets across the battlefield.

"We work with the Army from the corps level all the way down to the company level, integrating the ground movement picture from the joint terminal attack controller to the brigade tactical operations center," said Colonel Easter, who is deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga. "We also work to integrate predators, rotary wing and fast, fixed-wing aircraft all across the battlespace from one end of Iraq to the other. Additionally, our datalink capability allows us to communicate our radar picture to multiple brigades simultaneously."

Not only can the crews share information digitally across the battlefield, the JSTARS can also talk to just about anyone in the world with its various radio and communication suites, he said.

During major force on force engagements, JSTARS has supported the fight by tracking columns of movement. As the fight in Iraq and Afghanistan has changed, so has JSTARS role in the mission.

In the current environment, crews are often looking for a single ground mover in an area of interest.

"When an attack happens on the battlefield, we can backtrack using the information we collected to identify the origin of the attackers," said Lt. Col. Jerry Cole, 7 EACCS director of operations. "Lately, that has been one of our most used capabilities."

Staff Sgt. Karis Baker, an airborne operations technician assigned to the 7 EACCS, looks for, finds, and tracks the ground movers.

"(The JSTARS mission) also includes significant post mission analysis by many organizations," said the Astoria, Ore, native.

"We are analyzing the pattern of traffic movement," said Sergeant Baker, deployed from Robins AFB. "Our radar records the whole mission. If something happened an hour ago we can replay the event to see exactly how it went down."

"We know from the time we get here in theater to the time we leave, we'll be consistently busy," said Colonel Cole.

Ground forces continue to make progress in the theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan. As they look to the skies, they can rest assured their guardian angel will always be there to watch over them - unseen and unwavering.

"It's been an absolute honor to be a part of history," Colonel Cole said. "We are without a doubt one of the biggest providers to this war. It's extremely rewarding to see the impact we have on the guys on the ground."