PLA AEW&C, SIGINT, EW and MPA thread

[asif iqbal]

Asif! That's a KJ-500, with the circular array. KJ-200s are in your second post, with the 'balancing beam' array.

Thanks yes of course

 

[Hendrik_2000]

KJ500早期警戒管制機のコックピット
KJ 500 Early warning control machine cockpit
How many are they in operation now 6 or 8?

 

[antiterror13]

KJ500早期警戒管制機のコックピット
KJ 500 Early warning control machine cockpit
How many are they in operation now 6 or 8?

Because it is based on Shaanxi Y9 which is 100% indigenous , there is no barrier for China to produce more of KJ-500. KJ-500 is very versatile and very modern and it is said better than KJ-2000 in many aspects, mind you KJ-2000 first flight was in 2003 .. so ~13 years gap between these 2 AWACS types.

I believe China will produce more KJ-500 .. perhaps 20-30 of them ... and at the same time continue develop/produce heavyweight KJ-3000

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The future (after 2020) of KJ-200 and KJ-2000 are not clear .......

 

[Iron Man]

Does anyone have information on what band the KJ-500 radar transmits on?

 

[timepass]

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"KJ-2000 Mainring"

Its prototype was first spotted undergoing testing in Nanjing in 2003, carrying a CFTE emblem (S/N 762). The KJ-2000 prototype was based on Russian A-50I airframe but fitted with an indigenous AEW and a C4ISR system, including ARINC429 databus, IFF and datalink. The AEW system, developed by Nanjing Research Institute of Electronic Technology/14th Institute, is presumably similar to the Israeli Phalcon system. It was reported that the system can track 60-100 aerial targets simultaneously with a max range of 470km. The aircraft features a fixed rotodome housing three AESA antennas in a triangular configuration. As the result a 360° radar coverage can be achieved. A SATCOM antenna is installed inside the fairing on top of the forward cabin. Two large angled ventral fins are attached underneath the tail to compensate the impact of rotodome on aircraft handling. KJ-2000 is able to patrol in the air for up to 12 hours with a max range of 5,500km. A nose-mounted IFR probe (on #762 only) suggests its operations could be further extended with the tanker (Il-78) support. Following the humiliation of the cancelled A-50I/Phalcon contract with Israel in 2000, China salvaged this A-50I prototype from Israel via Russia in 2002 the Phalcon system removed. It was reported that a significant amount of resources have been invested into this high-priority project (Project 998?) at the 603 Institute/XAC/14th Institute following an executive order issued by the Chinese President. The compete system first flew on November 11, 2003 as KJ-2000 after overcoming various technical difficulties. The production KJ-2000s were converted from the China United Airline Il-76MD transport fleet (B-4040 - B-4043), starting from B-4043. The first two KJ-2000s were handed over to PLAAF in 2005. The design was certified in 2007. Currently all 4 KJ-2000s are stationed in Jiangsu Province, facing Japan and Taiwan (S/N 30071-30074). However further conversion from Il-76MD ended due to the limited quantity available. KJ-2000 is expected to be replaced by the new KJ-3000 under development which is based on the indigenous Y-20 transport aircraft. The new AESA radar will also be the product of the 14th Institute.

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[Iron Man]

Its prototype was first spotted undergoing testing in Nanjing in 2003, carrying a CFTE emblem (S/N 762). The KJ-2000 prototype was based on Russian A-50I airframe but fitted with an indigenous AEW and a C4ISR system, including ARINC429 databus, IFF and datalink. The AEW system, developed by Nanjing Research Institute of Electronic Technology/14th Institute, is presumably similar to the Israeli Phalcon system. It was reported that the system can track 60-100 aerial targets simultaneously with a max range of 470km.

I guess it's better than nothing but those stats suck pretty bad (if true). The E-2C can track 2,000+ targets at 650km.

 

[antiterror13]

I guess it's better than nothing but those stats suck pretty bad (if true). The E-2C can track 2,000+ targets at 650km.

well, I highly doubt that E-2C could track 2,000+ target simultaneously! any links?

China is still behind the US (note: not West) in AWACS technology ... but the gap is increasingly narrower and narrower every year. Apart from the US ... perhaps only Israel produces more advanced AWACS system than China ... and it obviously will change soon

 

[Blitzo]

I guess it's better than nothing but those stats suck pretty bad (if true). The E-2C can track 2,000+ targets at 650km.

I wouldn't take the stats too seriously.

If one does a search of E-3 capabilities on the internet most of them still list its radar as having a 400km range and almost makes it sound like it is an inferior AEW&C platform to E-2 variants.

The problem with systems like AEW&C is that their capabilities tend to experience substantial increases as they get upgraded. An E-3 airframe of the 2000s is likely quite different to one of the 2010s.
Even if those specifications for KJ-2000 are true (which I also really much doubt considering the sensitivity of that kind of information) -- they were numbers that I remember seeing back in the mid 2000s, and the likelihood that they have remained the same for a decade is quite slim.

 

[Iron Man]

well, I highly doubt that E-2C could track 2,000+ target simultaneously! any links?

China is still behind the US (note: not West) in AWACS technology ... but the gap is increasingly narrower and narrower every year. Apart from the US ... perhaps only Israel produces more advanced AWACS system than China ... and it obviously will change soon

Yes, it's in a book called Beyond the Horizon: The History of AEW&C Aircraft by Ian Shaw. You can buy this book on Amazon. It claims the E-2C is capable of simultaneous tracking of 2,000 targets and trace correlation between 20,000 contacts, and can detect a target with a radar reflection surface of 3m^2 at around 333km and large contacts at 648km.

I wouldn't take the stats too seriously.

If one does a search of E-3 capabilities on the internet most of them still list its radar as having a 400km range and almost makes it sound like it is an inferior AEW&C platform to E-2 variants.

The problem with systems like AEW&C is that their capabilities tend to experience substantial increases as they get upgraded. An E-3 airframe of the 2000s is likely quite different to one of the 2010s.
Even if those specifications for KJ-2000 are true (which I also really much doubt considering the sensitivity of that kind of information) -- they were numbers that I remember seeing back in the mid 2000s, and the likelihood that they have remained the same for a decade is quite slim.

Actually the E-3's radar is definitely superior to the E-2C's radar, as the quoted range of 400+ km refers to low-flying aircraft while the E-2C's range of 650km refers to "large contacts" (presumably ships). The E-3's range vs medium/high altitude aircraft increases to 650km, and certainly much further than that vs "large contacts". The E-3's radar is also capable of managing more intercepts (60 vs 40) compared to the E-2C. In any case, I have no doubt future upgrades will improve the capabilities of the KJ-2000. It just seems to have started at a lower baseline than I was expecting.

 

[Hyperwarp]

AN/APS-145 brochure (radar of the E-2C) -

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...
The APS-145 extends the performance of previous airborne surveillance radars to unprecedented levels. Its range is a full 40 percent beyond that of the APS-138 – greater than any airborne surveillance radar in the world. It will monitor and track more than 20,000 targets simultaneously.
...