An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar early warning system designed to detect aircraft, ships, vehicles, missiles and other incoming projectiles at long ranges, as well as performing command and control of the battlespace in aerial engagements by informing and directing friendly fighter and attack aircraft. AEW&C units are also used to carry out aerial surveillance over ground and maritime targets, and frequently perform battle management command and control (BMC2). When used at altitude, the radar system on AEW&C aircraft allows the operators to detect, track and prioritize targets and identify friendly aircraft from hostile ones in real-time and from much farther away than ground-based radars. Like ground-based radars, AEW&C systems can be detected and targeted by opposing forces, but due to aircraft mobility and extended sensor range, they are much less vulnerable to counter-attacks than ground systems.
An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the antenna. In the AESA, each antenna element is connected to a small solid-state transmit/receive module (TRM) under the control of a computer, which performs the functions of a transmitter and/or receiver for the antenna. This contrasts with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA), in which all the antenna elements are connected to a single transmitter and/or receiver through phase shifters under the control of the computer. AESA's main use is in radar, and these are known as active phased array radar (APAR).
The CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder, or FC-1 Xiaolong, is a lightweight, single-engine, multirole combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. It was designed and developed as a fourth-generation replacement for the third-generation A-5C, F-7P/PG, Mirage III, and Mirage V combat aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The JF-17 can be used for multiple roles, including interception, ground attack, anti-ship, and aerial reconnaissance. The Pakistani designation "JF-17" stands for "Joint Fighter-17", with the "Joint Fighter" denoting the joint Pakistani-Chinese development of the aircraft and the "-17" denoting that, in the PAF's vision, it is the successor to the F-16. The Chinese designation "FC-1" stands for "Fighter China-1".
The Erieye radar system is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) developed by Saab Electronic Defence Systems of Sweden. It uses active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology. The Erieye is used on a variety of aircraft platforms, such as the Saab 340 and Embraer R-99. It has recently been implemented on the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft as the GlobalEye.
Type 517 radar is believed to be an A-band/VHF air search radar widely deployed on PLAN surface vessels with 4 antennas in two crossed-brace supported pairs, one above the other, mounted in pairs on each side of a single tubular support carried on the turning gear.
The YLC-2 radar is a three-dimensional main guidance and surveillance radar developed by the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology.
The JL-10A airborne radar is a highly digitized pulse-Doppler radar with slotted planar array developed for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) as a replacement for the older Type 232H radar currently employed by the Chinese air force. The radar is built to MIL-STD-1553 standard so it is compatible with western electronics and weaponry. Originally, the radar is capable of simultaneously tracking 10 targets and engaging 2 of the 10 tracked when using semi-active radar homing air-to-air missiles, or 4 of the 10 tracked when using active radar homing air-to-air missiles.
YLC-15 is a fully coherent, Pulse Doppler air defence radar of Chinese origin. It is designed primarily to detect targets at ranges of up to 16 km. It also provides the capability to identify hovering helicopters or low altitude cruise missiles.
The Sukhoi Su-30MKK is a modification of the Sukhoi Su-30, incorporating advanced technology from the Sukhoi Su-35 variant. The Su-30MKK was developed by Sukhoi in 1997, as a result of a direct Request for tender between the Russian Federation and China. It is a heavy class, all-weather, long-range strike fighter, and like the Sukhoi Su-30, comparable to the American McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. The Sukhoi Su-30MK2 is a further improvement to Su-30MKK with upgraded avionics and maritime strike capabilities. The MKK and MK2 are currently operated by the People's Liberation Army Air Force, Indonesian Air Force, Vietnam People's Air Force, Venezuelan Air Force and the Ugandan Air Force.
The PS-05/A is a pulse-doppler radar currently used by the JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft. It weighs 156 kg and was developed by Ericsson in collaboration with GEC-Marconi, sharing some technology with the latter's Blue Vixen radar for the Sea Harrier.
The Zhuk are a family of Russian all-weather multimode airborne radars developed by NIIR Phazotron for multi-role combat aircraft such as the MiG-29 and the Su-27. The PESA versions were also known as the Sokol.
The Bars (Leopard) is a family of Russian all-weather multimode airborne radars developed by the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design for multi-role combat aircraft such as the Su-27, Su-30 and the MiG-29.
The Russian BRLS-8B "Zaslon" (Barrier) is an all-weather multimode airborne radar developed between 1975 and 1980 by the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design as part of the weapons control system of the MiG-31 supersonic interceptor. The NATO reporting name for the radar is Flash Dance with the designations "SBI-16", "RP-31", "N007" and "S-800" also being associated with the radar.
The central acquisition radar (3D-CAR) is a 3D radar developed by DRDO for use with Akash SAM capable of tracking 150 targets.
Track-while-scan (TWS) is a mode of radar operation in which the radar allocates part of its power to tracking a target or targets while part of its power is allocated to scanning. It is similar to but functions differently in comparison to its counterparts range-while-search (RWS), long range search (LRS), air combat mode (ACM), velocity search with ranging (VSR) and combined radar mode (CRM). In track-while-scan mode the radar has the ability to acquire and lock/track multiple targets while simultaneously providing a view of the surrounding airspace, which in turn aids the pilot and or operator in maintaining better situational awareness.
The PJT-531 Battle Field Surveillance Radar – Short Range(BFSR-SR) is a man portable 2D short-range battlefield and perimeter surveillance radar developed by the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The BFSR has been designed by DRDO's Bengaluru-based laboratory, the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) and is being manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
Irbis-E is a Russian multi-mode, hybrid passive electronically scanned array radar system developed by Tikhomirov NIIP for the Sukhoi Su-35 multi-purpose fighter aircraft. NIIP developed the Irbis-E radar from the N011M Bars radar system used on Sukhoi Su-30MKI aircraft.
Uttam is a solid-state gallium arsenide (GaAs) based active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar under development by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is a low probability of intercept radar intended to be installed on the HAL Tejas Mark 1A, HAL Tejas Mark 2, HAL TEDBF and HAL HLFT-42 aircraft with plans to implement a larger and more powerful variant on-board India's 5th Generation fighter aircraft, HAL AMCA.
The Grifo radar is a family of airborne radars developed by Italian firm Leonardo S.p.A. for fighter aircraft and attack aircraft, and this family of radars includes several series.
The Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) is an active electronically scanned array surveillance radar system for the Boeing 737 AEW&C airborne early warning and control aircraft. The radar is produced by Northrop Grumman.
People's Republic of China