Production

JSTARS aircraft deployments require four aircraft to maintain one continuous orbit. Planners initially believed that 3 continuous orbits would cover the theater of a major theater war. But experience in Bosnia's mountainous terrain suggested that even small operation might require more than three continuously orbiting aircraft. Other assessments suggest that more than 30 JSTARS might be needed to meet existing two major theater war requirements, assuming that six orbits were required, with five aircraft needed to maintain a single orbit.

There has been considerable variation in the total number of aircraft planned during the course of the program's history:

• In April 1988 the Defense Acquisition Board increased the number of planned production aircraft from 10 to 22. Some Air Force planners argued at the time for as many as 35 production aircraft.
• On 19 September 1990 the DOD Joint Requirements Oversight Council [JROC] reduced the total inventory requirement from 22 to 20 JSTARS production aircraft, in addition to the three pre-production aircraft. Of the 20 E-8s, 17 were classified as Primary Aircraft Authorization (PAA), 2 as Backup Aircraft Inventory (BAI), and 1 as a test aircraft.
• On 25 September 1996 the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition approved Joint STARS full-rate production with a total planned quantity of 19 production aircraft.
• As of 1996 the Air Force planned that by 2004 the Joint STARS program would include a 19-plane fleet outfitted with advanced technology in radar and computer data systems.
• The May 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review directed that the planned buy of 19 production aircraft be reduced to 13 (10 PAA, 2 BAI, and 1 Test), contingent on NATO buying 6 aircraft.
• During 2001 long-lead funding was provided for a 16th production aircraft.
• In October 2002 long-lead funding was provided for a 17th production aircraft, for delivery in 2005.

E-8 95-0212 on the production line

(NB aircraft with serials in blue are those I have personally seen. Serials in magenta are for aircraft which are no longer available. Serials in red are for aircraft which have been written off in accidents).

Serial	Type	Prod Seq	Prev serial	C/N	Operator/Notes	Img
86-0416	TE-8A	FSD-1	N770JS	19626	First flight 22 Dec 1988. 116th ACW	E-8A 86-0416 (US Air Force photo)
86-0417	TE-8A	FSD-2	N8411	19574	First flight 31 Aug 1989. Scrapped at Northrop Grumman, Melbourne FL	E-8A 86-0417 (N8411) possibly on its maiden flight at Melbourne, FL, 31 Aug 1989 (US Air Force photo)
88-0322	YE-8B	n/a	n/a	24503	First flight 12 Jun 1990. Sold to Saudi Arabia as RE-3B 1902
90-0175	E-8C	FSD-3	N526SJ	19621	Del Mar 1994	E-8C 90-0175 at Melbourne, FL, 08 Dec 2011. © Northrop Grumman
92-3289	E-8C	P-1	N4131G	19622	Del 22 Mar 1996. 116th ACW	E-8C 92-3289 from the 93rd ACW (US Air Force photo)
92-3290	E-8C	P-2	N4115J	19295	Del 13 Dec 1996. 116th ACW	E-8C 92-3290 from the 93rd ACW (US Air Force photo)
93-0597	E-8C	P-3	67-30053	19294	116th ACW. Suffered fuel tank over-pressurization 13 Mar 2009. May not fly again.
93-1097	E-8C	P-4	N6546L	19296	116th ACW. Deployed to South West Asia in November 2001 to support Operation Enduring Freedom.	E-8C 93-1097 in south-west Asia, November 2001 (US Air Force photo)
94-0284	E-8C	P-5	N2178F	19293	116th ACW. Deployed to South West Asia in November 2001 to support Operation Enduring Freedom.	E-8C 94-0284 in south-west Asia, November 2001 (US Air Force photo)
94-0285	E-8C	P-6	67-30054	19442	116th ACW	E-8C 94-0285 from the 93rd ACW (via Dion Kingsbury)
95-0121	E-8C	P-8	71-1841	20495	116th ACW	E-8C 95-0121 from the 116th ACW (via Dion Kingsbury)
95-0122	E-8C	P-7	68-11174	20016	116th ACW. At RAF Waddington air show, June 2001
96-0042	E-8C	P-9	13705	20318	Ex-CAF. 116th ACW	E-8C 96-0042 from the 116th ACW (US Air Force photo)
96-0043	E-8C	P-10	13702	20316	Ex-CAF. 116th ACW	E-8C 96-0043 from the 116th ACW taking off from Al Udeid AB, 30 Nov 2006 (US Air Force photo)
97-0100	E-8C	P-11	F-BJCM	19986	Ex-Air France and others. Delivered to 116th ACW 06 Aug 2001	E-8C 97-0100 from the 116th ACW taking off from Kadena AFB, 29 Jul 2008 (US Air Force photo)
97-0200	E-8C	P-12	13703	20317	Ex-CAF. Delivered to 116th ACW 27 Nov 2001
97-0201	E-8C	P-13	13704	20319	Ex-CAF. Delivered to 116th ACW 25 Apr 2002. At RAF Fairford/RIAT July 2003.	E-8C 97-0201 from the 116th ACW at RAF Fairford, 18 Jul 2003 (© David Hastings)
99-0006	E-8C	P-14	1002	19998	Ex-Luftwaffe B707-307C. Delivered to the 116th ACW 19 Aug 2002.
00-2000	E-8C	P-15	85-6973	20043	Was a C-137C. Delivered to the 116th ACW 25 Feb 2003	E-8C 00-2000 from the 116th ACW at RAF Fairford, 25 Jul 2004 (© David Hastings)
01-2005	E-8C	P-16		19382	Delivered to the 116th ACW 01 Mar 2004
02-9111	E-8C	P-17	81-0896	19581	Formerly an EC-18B. Delivered to the 116th ACW 01 Apr 2005.	E-8C 02-9111 from the 116th ACW (© Bill Shull)