PeeD
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You keep mentioning “cost effectiveness” but you do not provide the cost difference between your theory (GaA TRMs) and the alternative(s).
To me just going off of cost effectiveness does not always make sense when speak about a military and an asset that is ment to counter your enemies greatest air asset (5th gen fighters).
Nazi Germany was famous for disregarding cost effectiveness in certain projects for sheer maximum capability. (Now wether that was right or wrong is beside the point).
So I would be curious to see what these cost differences you cite are so that readers can draw their own conclusions.
The alternatives are GaN TRMs in a country that is heavily sanctioned.
These are semiconductor chips, alone producing GaN wafers is a huge achievement for Iran and its import and cooperation restrictions.
So the situation is this:
- You have enough space for your array? Build a larger array instead of a more powerful TRM one (can't do that on a fighters nose)
- You have enough means to cool your array? Go for TRMs that have higher cooling requirements (less advanced).
- You can use L- or S-band TRMs instead of X-band? Go for it, it will be 30-50% cheaper.
- Your TRM's make 50% of whole system cost? Try to get it as low as possible.
- Finally your radar is 30% cheaper? Get 3 for every 2 ordered, 3rd Khordad TELAR.
+ all other dynamic factors.
Never fall in a technological trap where something is claimed to be absolute necessary (GaN) but your requirements are satisfied with a technology that costs lets say 1/3 of that. Iran is not dominated by a capitalist defense industry and should never be: Buy whats gets the job done not whats best in the market.
Honestly I'm confused by the 3rd Khordad radar, I have still serious doubts whether it is an AESA. PESA would be much more cost effective in this application... I just don't see a monopulse feed system...
an asset that is ment to counter your enemies greatest air asset (5th gen fighters).
I personally think the 3rd Khordad can do that. I outlined U.S claims about stealth, but my view is closer to the Russian side: Ground based radars will detect 5th gen stealth fighter targets at an average RCS of 0,5m² or -3dB.
Still I think that the 3rd Khordad is not the ideal choice against highest performing stealth assets, the IRGC specially developed the Najm-SD-2 system to counter those. Plus Najm series could be linked with the 3rd Khordad to give it added anti-VLO capabilities.