New J-STARS planes just barely fit in old Robins hangars

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE - The brass at Robins Air Force Base can finally breathe easier after learning that the $20 million hangars built for old B-1B bombers can be used to house its new J-STARS surveillance planes. <br> <br> Members of the 116th Bomb Wing got the answer Tuesday by towing an E8C J-STARS jet more than a mile across the central Georgia base and carefully easing it inside one of the wing&#39;s 15-month-old hangars. <br> <br> Everything, except for the very tip of the jet&#39;s tail, made it safely inside. <br> <br> The commander, Colonel Tom Lynn, said they knew it was about six inches too high, but, he said, ``That&#39;s no big deal. With some minor modifications to the hangar, we can make it fit. We&#39;re going to save the taxpayers a lot of money.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The 116th Bomb Wing, a Georgia National Guard unit, will lose its supersonic B-1B bombers when it merges September 30 with the 93rd Air Control Wing, a Robins active duty unit that flies J-STARS surveillance jets. <br> <br> The new unit, which will be called the 116th Air Control Wing, will be the first-ever composed of active duty and Guard personnel. It is being hailed by Air Force leaders as a new breed of military organization. <br> <br> The September 30 ceremony is expected to draw Air Force Secretary James Roche, Governor Barnes and General Hal Hornburg, commander of the Air Force&#39;s Air Combat Command.

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