Higher Eyes in the Sky

<p>During the past few years Air Force leaders have begun to emphasize space operations. Global Engagement states that we will eventually transition from an Air and Space Force into a Space and Air Force and various leaders have opined that that air and space are seamless. Air Force Chief-of-Staff General Fogleman introduced the concept that in the future we will be able to find fix target track and engage (F2T2E) any target anywhere on the earth. In order to actually accomplish F2T2E the functions currently performed by the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and the E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) will need to migrate to space-based platforms. This thesis explores how such a migration would occur. Before examining space operations the historical military need for moving target indicators (MTI) is examined tracing the evolution from hot air balloons to our current AWACS and JSTARS aircraft.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>