U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., led a bipartisan group of 13 senators in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter requesting that funding for the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System be protected in the fiscal year 2017 defense budget request.
 
The senators note that the JSTARS fleet, a surveillance aircraft that is based at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Ga., has “provided unparalleled Battle Management, Command and Control and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capability… and its endurance continues to prevail in today’s Global War on Terrorism.”
 
The letter continues, “The service life of the legacy fleet, however, is now coming to an end while the demand from Combatant Commanders has only grown. Due to high demand over the years and increasing maintenance requirements, it is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to keep aircraft available to meet operational and training requirements. This leaves a growing capabilities gap that is unacceptable.”
 
Isakson’s budget request comes the same week that the Undersecretary for Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics signaled approval to start ‘Milestone A,’ the first phase of the process to replace the aging fleet of JSTARS surveillance aircrafts.
 
Isakson requested funding in in his 2016 appropriations requests as well. He visited Robins Air Force Base and received a briefing from the JSTARS unit in September 2015.
 
Led by Isakson, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators David Perdue, R-Ga., Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Richard Burr, R-N.C., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Patty Murray, D-Wash., Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Jon Tester, D-Mont.
 
The full text of the letter is below.
 
December 11, 2015

The Honorable Ashton B. Carter
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000
 
Dear Secretary Carter:
 
We write as members of the Senate who strongly support our national security, the Department of Defense, and its warfighters to urge that you rapidly recapitalize the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System and protect funding for this program in the Fiscal Year 2017 Defense Budget request.
 
The combat proven current JSTARS platform, the E-8C, has provided unparalleled Battle Management, Command and Control and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capability since it was rushed into service in the early 1990’s during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and its endurance continues to prevail in today’s Global War on Terrorism.  The service life of the legacy fleet, however, is now coming to an end while the demand from Combatant Commanders has only grown.  Due to high demand over the years and increasing maintenance requirements, it is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to keep aircraft available to meet operational and training requirements.  This leaves a growing capabilities gap that is unacceptable.
 
Based on an Air Force Analysis of Alternatives completed in 2011 that supports a rapid recapitalization of the legacy fleet with a low-risk business jet-type platform, Congress has consistently supported moving aggressively to replace the E-8C and its crucial warfighting capability with a modern, more cost-efficient and operationally-ready platform.  We expect that you will seek full funding for this recapitalization effort in the FY2017 Defense Budget and pursue an acquisition plan and schedule that will increase the operational availability of this capability to support our warfighters.
 
Sincerely,