USAF Investigating Potential JSTARS Sabotage Incident

The US Air Force is investigating a case of potential sabotage on two of its Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.

"During scheduled depot maintenance, the contractor discovered severed wires on a JSTARS aircraft," the USAF says. "Subsequent inspections lead to findings of severed wires on one additional aircraft at the Lake Charles facility."

The JSTARS is maintained at a Northrop Grumman-owned depot facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

"To ensure the integrity of the maintenance process, we are working hand-in-hand with Northrop Grumman to get to the root cause," the USAF says. "The matter is currently under investigation and more details will be released as they come available."

Northrop Grumman officials could not immediately be reached for comment.