News

The Big Picture: JSTARS provides unique capability during multicomponent exercise

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Regina Young
  • 116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Operators from the 116th Air Control Wing and the 138th Military Intelligence Company provided real-time situational awareness to F-16 Fighting Falcons, AH-64D Apache Attack Helicopters and ground forces during Operation Carolina Thunder.

The multistate, multicomponent, collective training exercise conducted during the South Carolina National Guard drill weekend, involved more than 650 participants from South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee National Guard units.

Using the one-of-a-kind battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities of the E-8C Joint STARS, the Airmen and Soldiers provided targeting data and intelligence for attack aviation, fighter attack and friendly maneuver forces in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site near Augusta, Ga.

The JSTARS crew welcomed Army Capt. Michelle Roberts, a South Carolina National Guard deputy intelligence officer aboard. 

"Having Capt. Roberts aboard is a great asset," Maj. Kenneth Billings, 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron mission crew commander, said. "She's able to provide insight to what the South Carolina National Guard needs from us. 

During the flight, Roberts acted as the ground liaison officer supporting military intelligence operations using the equipment and learning first-hand about the JSTARS capabilities. 

"From an intelligence perspective, JSTARS provides the overall common operation picture from air to ground, and we can use that to relay where the enemy threat actually is,"  Roberts said. 

According to Billings, the benefit of JSTARS is that it's a manned platform versus being remotely operated from a ground.

"Having operators onboard the aircraft allows us more flexibility in ever-changing operational environments," he said.

Training exercises like this one are a step toward strengthening relationships with different states and components that exist in the National Guard.