Farewell to the last JSTAR

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – The last JSTAR was originally planned to leave on Monday, Nov. 6 but due to mechanical problems, it made its departure a week later, giving more time for Robins Air Force Base to remember its service and the overall mission.

The aircraft has been on a mission called the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, also known as JSTARS, for over 20 years. Both army and air personnel used the E-8C aircraft to develop, detect, locate and attack enemy armor at far ranges.

According to the RAFB website, its primary mission was to provide theater ground and air commanders with ground surveillance over land and water to support attack operations.

The decades long mission finally ended on Nov. 4 and the aircraft was no longer needed on base. According to Col. Christina Darveau, Deputy Commander of the 116th Air Control Wing, all the JSTARS were sent to various locations; the last aircraft Lackland Air Force Base, Texas and will be retrofitted for training.

Darveau also shared the Air Force is now moving towards a new generation of platforms, adding although the JSTAR platform was useful, it is no longer as technologically advanced as the newer platforms coming online. The Air Force is now converting units to newer missions.

One of the JSTARS stayed at Robins Air Force Base and is on display at the Museum of Aviation. Darveau said there were originally 17 aircrafts, but one left about 10 years ago, which left them with 16 that were continually deployed until they came home this September.

Darveau shared this has been a bittersweet moment for the base, but they are proud of the work they have done.

“We’re very proud of our family here filled with active duty, guardsmen and army. So very sweet that it was a job well done and very excited towards the future but also just a little bit sad because we got a lot of good history in this mission,” said Darveau.

She also expressed her gratitude to Houston County and the support they have received from the community.

“We really love Houston County and all the community support. I’m very thankful for it after all these years,” said Darveau.

The last JSTAR left on Wednesday, Nov. 15, from the flight line, and multiple employees on Base were there to witness its departure.

MSgt. Jeremiah Curry has been working on the JSTARS mission for about 20 years and was deployed 11 times, mentioning he has seen numerous aircraft come and go from the JSTARS mission. He said seeing the last plane leave was bittersweet.

As far as what’s next: “I hope it’s something cool,” said Curry.

Also there to say goodbye was James Ireson. Ireson is currently retired, but took the time to marshal the aircraft at the flight line during its departure.

For the JSTARS mission, Ireson said he was an active duty MSgt. Aircraft Structures Mechanic and carries a lot of memories tied to the departing plane.

“I was a dedicated crew chief on this particular aircraft. We went down to do the acceptance inspection on it at Melbourne, Florida, prior to receiving it, and I was on it for many years as the primary mechanic. A lot of memories wrapped up and a lot of travel: Middle East, all over Europe, Asia, you name it, we went there,” said Ireson.

Ireson began working on base in 1992, and when the JSTARS mission arrived in 1996, he was absorbed into the fold. Years of work on the mission also had Ireson in a reflective mood on departure day.

“It’s kind of sad, really. But it is what it is,” said Ireson. “Everything kind of comes to an end. … I was here when the first one got here. And I’ll be here when the last one leaves.”

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