Secret upgrades target stealthy cruise missiles

The Air Force is doing secret series of upgrades to the E-3 AWACS and E-8 Joint-STARS aircraft and the AIM-120 Amraam air-to-air missile to counter the threat of stealth cruise missiles. The E-3 AWACS' upgraded S-band radar would provide a wide-area, long-range surveillance. Since S-band radars do not have the accuracy of X-band radars, the E-3 AWACS would transmit the cue to the E-8 Joint-STARS. The 'kill chain' of the anti-cruise missile system starts with an E-3 AWACS detecting a cruise missile and designating an area where an Amraam missile may be fired. The E-8 Joint-STARS aircraft would then guide the missile within the designated area. When the cruise missile is already within the range of the Amraam, the latter's guidance system would take over and complete the interception.