Look at this.
PLA AEW&C, SIGINT, EW and MPA thread
- Thread starter Sczepan
- Start date
AEW variant of Y-20, i.e. KJ-3000??
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On a second, more-detailed look, notice that there are two white-coloured pods on the Y-20 - One underneath the fuselage, another on top of the fuselage:
Those two pods looks somewhat similar to the one fitted underneath the fuselage of the E-8 Joint STARS (which has one long pod instead of two):
Note: E-8 Joint STARS is a USAF airborne ground surveillance (AGS), battle management and command and control aircraft. It tracks ground vehicles and some aircraft, collects imagery, and relays tactical pictures to ground and air theater commanders.
The E-8 class has seen active deployment in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The E-8s often fly missions above Eastern NATO countries and along the borders with Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, monitoring Russian and Belarussian ground troop movements and relaying them to the Ukrainian military.
Perhaps this Y-20 variant is a Chinese counterpart to the E-8?
But, I don't quite understand why would there be two seperate pods underneath and above the one fuselage of the Y-20. Could it be a combination of AGS and AEWC instead?
The shape of the ventral antennae on the Y-20 is not that consistent with an air to ground surveillance radar.
And the undercarriage of Y-20 is not that optimal for a long length radar that you'd need for it
Personally I think an aircraft like Y-20 is not ideal for AEWC or for A2G radar/surveillance.
Now, for ELINT/SIGINT that is a whole other story and a Y-20 ELINT/SIGINT variant would be quite useful and practical in a way that AEWC and A2G radar would be somewhat less optimal for.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
That’s on possibility, one of many.
An AGS has the potential issue that they would be vulnerable to attack as they operate very close to contested areas.
Modern AEW types can have secondary arrays for Look down as they often operate at higher altitudes.
Additionally the ability to merge air search and ground search arrays into a configuration like the E10 Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft attempted seems more realistic as proven by the Global Eye. However why put it on such a big aircraft? The global trend is buisness jets and similar aircraft. This makes sense as they can operate from smaller facilities, the technology has advanced to where you get the same results with lighter smaller facilities. The Russians are the exception but that’s more due to Russia. Y9 makes sense as it’s in roughly the same size range as E7. Y20 would be over kill.
ELINT or Signt makes some more sense although again the size these
Are getting smaller by generation.
A third option might be a Doomsday bird. Both the US and Russia operate strategic communications/Command aircraft. These do a number of functions from secure communication from a head of state traveling abroad to taking over submarine and bomber operations in war. The pods of this kind of mission are similar to those on some awacs or ISR aircraft. The larger size also makes sense. It allows for a cabin with provisions for crew rest, mission operations area even a small personal cabin for an evacuated leader. Both the US E4B and Russian IL80/Il96 are based on civilian aircraft types but Lockheed Martin conceptually offered on built on the C5 Galaxy.
I am almost sure it will have more than 2 groups of antenna. Look at the incoming C-2 derived ELINT aircraft of Japan. It also has smaller antennas below the fuselage too. PLAAF would likely go with a full R-ESM and C-ESM suite with an aircraft of the Y-20's size. The Y-20 is ~50% heavier than the aircraft below.
Widebody civilian airliners were choosen for the US E-4s and Russian IL-80/IL-96 because of their long-range endurance capabilities. China has no such indigenous airliners for that purpose.
If Y-20 is to be chosen for this purpose, then it must be fitted with in-flight refueling capabilities, something which is absent on present Y-20 airframes.
There looks like there are 2 more forward facing antennas on the sponsons where the wheels are stored.