I don't really put much trust in that. War-sky is a much more authentic Chinese military forum and there has been no such news. Too many other sources countering this rumour.
PLA AEW&C, SIGINT, EW and MPA thread
- Thread starter Sczepan
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Much more likely that an upgrade is happening. If note B-4043, this plane has a different colored radome than the other three, grey color instead of black. The color change may indicate that a newer radar has been installed on that plane.
I am expecting that the Xian KJ-2000 will change to the same antenna as B-4043.
KJ-2000 antenna is simple to large,most likely a PESA rather than AESA.
according to Miltech,AESA radar has 80 plus degree angle scanning compare to 70 degree foe PESA,result is that most AESA equip AWACS such as swedish 's eyrie and Australia wedgetail or the Israel future AWACS carried back to back antenna.
With Pesa you needed triangular antenna to cover 'blind spot".
second,AESA has higher DB gain result is smaller antenna,while PESA (or mechanical scan antenna) needed a large transmitter ,RF traveling thru traveling wave tube lost minus 7 db,which translate into 70% lost in range,2~3 db loss when RF from the antenna phase shifter.result you needed a bigger antenna and higher power out put.
other evidence,was report from kanwa, that Phozotron sold large airbrone transmitter for PLAAF AWACS program..
But my guess is that since only 4 were constructed,there's possibility that LAAF may have also planning Wedgetail type AWACS.
according to Miltech,AESA radar has 80 plus degree angle scanning compare to 70 degree foe PESA,result is that most AESA equip AWACS such as swedish 's eyrie and Australia wedgetail or the Israel future AWACS carried back to back antenna.
With Pesa you needed triangular antenna to cover 'blind spot".
second,AESA has higher DB gain result is smaller antenna,while PESA (or mechanical scan antenna) needed a large transmitter ,RF traveling thru traveling wave tube lost minus 7 db,which translate into 70% lost in range,2~3 db loss when RF from the antenna phase shifter.result you needed a bigger antenna and higher power out put.
other evidence,was report from kanwa, that Phozotron sold large airbrone transmitter for PLAAF AWACS program..
But my guess is that since only 4 were constructed,there's possibility that LAAF may have also planning Wedgetail type AWACS.
hmm, that's not larger than the radome on top of A-50/Phalcon. Search up this thread, there should be an article with the developer of KJ-2000 saying that it uses AESA radar.
There has only been 4 constructed, because they are running out of IL-76 if you haven't noticed. They just ordered 34 more and the Russians are having a bad old time delivering them.
KJ-2000 most likely carry PESA rather than than AESA,since most Chinese not to mention Russian (which is providing technological assisstant) are much more familiar with the PESA.
with AESA with much higher DB gain,or wider scanning angle,you not needed large big antenna to do the job.
Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
How you know that russian provide the assistant . I don't see any rotating axis on the radom
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AWAC carry highly complex electronic system, just ask the brit,israel or even the russian ,according to HK newspaper,among the 60 killed in crushing of KJ-200 included ukrainian and pakistani engineers.
since only 4 KJ-2000 is built,rather than standard 12~16,I strongly believe that PLAAF is looking for next generatrion AWACS,using airbus passenger possible A-320 as airborne platform.
since only 4 KJ-2000 is built,rather than standard 12~16,I strongly believe that PLAAF is looking for next generatrion AWACS,using airbus passenger possible A-320 as airborne platform.
not really, Chinese seemed to have gone from mechanically steered to AESA and skipped PESA with most of their platforms. And not to mention, Phalcon, the one that KJ-2000 is most likely inspired from is also using AESA radar. And just which AWACS is using PESA, I can't really think of any.
Again, that large big antenna is not true, since Phalcon has a similar sized antenna on the A-50/Phalcon AWACS.
HK newspaper has never been accurate on pla news. There were about 40 killed and they were mostly from lab 38. There is no reason for Pakistani engineer to be on KJ-200, since it's not getting exported there. No need for the Ukrainians either, since they are not related on the project.
As for only 4 KJ-2000 being built, I don't know whether you have noticed this IL-76 shortage problem that plaaf has since the Russians are having problem fulfilling that contract?
Soviet AF originally choice for AWACS platform was TU-204 passenger aircraft,but with her LRU and associate electronic component is 25% heavier than E-3A,they decided to opt for IL-76.but lately the russian made tremendous progress in reducing the weight and size ,the next generation russian AWACS more likely to be passenger aircraft.rather than cargo aircraft
There is strong possibility that PLAAF may opt for passenger aircraft,first is crew comfortability,and reliability.and one aircraft could fullfill the roll was european airbus A-320,already china planning to assembly the aircraft locally.