PLA AEW&C, SIGINT, EW and MPA thread

[Hendrik_2000]

Well that depend on how well they miniaturized the T/R module My understanding is that KJ 500 is in no way inferior to KJ 2000
In fact they said it is even better than KJ 2000 there was an interview with the chief designer of KJ 500 long time ago and he attest that they have been successful in miniaturizing the module
There is no compromise here It is of the same class as KJ2000 maybe range wise is limited. It is not like KJ 200 which is downgraded version of KJ2000

 

[Totoro]

I always wondered if kj-200 was in fact somewhat tailored for PLANAF needs. Just as E2 was designed to USN needs. The fact PLANAF operates more of those than PLAAF (even though the service as a whole has 5 times less combat planes) always struck me as peculiar.

 

[Deino]

PLAAF KJ-2000 + -500
(via Huitong)

 

[taxiya]

Well that depend on how well they miniaturized the T/R module My understanding is that KJ 500 is in no way inferior to KJ 2000
In fact they said it is even better than KJ 2000 there was an interview with the chief designer of KJ 500 long time ago and he attest that they have been successful in miniaturizing the module
There is no compromise here It is of the same class as KJ2000 maybe range wise is limited. It is not like KJ 200 which is downgraded version of KJ2000

You are right that KJ500's TR module is better than KJ2000, not only that but also beam-forming and steering is digital rather than analog (in KJ2000 and others). In fact radar on KJ500 is one generation advanced than others.

However, I think the notion of "Y-20 based KJxxxx" is about the size. Bigger aircraft can carry bigger antenna (besides more room for crew and more fuel for loitering). You can see the size difference in Deino's post 1783. A Y-20 based AWAC using radar of the same generation of KJ-500 will make it more capable than KJ-500.

 

[Hyperwarp]

KJ-2000 maybe bigger but it was the 1st generation of modern AWACS in the PLAAF. It would have had some bugs in it. Their were some comments IIRC that the KJ-2000 was susceptible to certain types of jamming compared to Western counterparts like the E-3.

The KJ-500 despite being smaller is a least a generation ahead of KJ-2000. I would say 1.5 gen ahead.

But a bigger aircraft with more powerful engines (Y-20 vs Y-9) I assume would allow far greater power output to the RADARS?

 

[by78]

Y-9JB, KJ-500, and KJ-200 taking off for a recent exercise in the western Pacific.

 

[Deleted member 13312]

With the Y-9 MPA variant in operation. Would there be a chance that China will be looking into the prospects of a carrier-born ASW plane as well ? The US operated the V-3 Viking during the Cold War. As such I don't think it did be too much of a stretch to imagine that with a catapult equipped carrier in the works, China might seek to experiment and equipment it with as many different type of planes as possible if only to flesh out their carrier operation doctrines.

 

[sequ]

Why two different type of AWACS in service that are relatively comparable?

 

[Hendrik_2000]

Why two different type of AWACS in service that are relatively comparable?

Type KJ 200 was an earlier model. China initiate the program in 2000 to break the western embargo on the technology. It was meant to complement the development of KJ 2000 of which China cannot get enough IL 76 platform, because they stop manufacturing those plane due to break up of Soviet Union.

That is why they initiate miniaturization of the T/R module of KJ 2000 so that they can mount it on the much smaller plane Y-9. And of course other improvement in technology since, like more digitization or increase automation
So KJ 200 is stop gap measure to plug the hole in China AEW shortcoming. They stop producing this model now since KJ 500 is way more capable

 

[asif iqbal]

Apart from 85091 KJ500 AWACS terrible angle no serials visible

Wall climber should be brought to justice