JF-17 Block III's proposed AESA Radar KLJ-7A

[The SC]

November 2, 2016

The Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology (NRIET) KLJ-7A active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar. Photo credit: East Pendulum (http://www.eastpendulum.com)
Country PortfolioAsia Pacific
Oct 31, 2016 Bilal Khan -
KLJ-7A: Proposed AESA radar for the JF-17 Block-III
The Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology (NRIET) has unveiled a new active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar at the Zhuhai Air Show, reportedly for use with the JF-17 Block-III.

Designated the KLJ-7A, it appears that NRIET will market the new AESA radar as a replacement to the KLJ-7 and KLJ-7V2 currently onboard the JF-17 Block-I and Block-II, respectively.

The KLJ-7A’s feature list includes track while scan, multi-object targeting and multi-target engagement, and synthetic aperture radar with ground moving target identification (among others).

Specific details, such as the materials or number of transceiver modules (TRM), were not listed. According to Henri Kenhmann (via East Pendulum), NRIET’s deputy director Wang Hongzhe stated that the radar has a maximum range of 170 km (likely in reference to a radar cross-section of 5m2).

Kenhmann also reported that the KLJ-7A can simultaneously track 15 targets and engage four.

Notes & Comments:

Based on the photos being circulated on several online discussion mediums, the KLJ-7A appears to be a small radar suite, one appropriate for the JF-17’s limited internal space. The name may indicate that the KLJ-7A is a direct development of the KLJ-7, but the images suggest that the KLJ-7A is a distinct design. In other words, it does not appear that the KLJ-7A and KLJ-7/V2 share anything beyond the name.

The inclusion of an AESA radar is the centerpiece of the JF-17 Block-III program, the first major iterative update of the JF-17 Thunder lightweight multi-role fighter.

In general, an AESA radar would provide greatly improved electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) capabilities, meaning, higher resistance to enemy active electronic warfare (EW) jamming.

This is achieved using hundreds of solid-state TRMs, each serving as a ‘micro-radar’ of sorts transmitting a unique signal simultaneously. For jamming pods, this makes the task of identifying, recording and re-transmitting all those signals, which change with each pulse, difficult.

This method also helps with shielding the radar from being detected by enemy radar warning receivers – i.e. giving it a ‘low-probability-of-intercept.’

Although Leonardo-Finmeccanica’s Vixen AESA radar line was identified as an option by PAF officials (during the 2015 Paris Air Show), NRIET’s KLJ-7A seems like it was designed with the JF-17 directly in mind, and as such, could potentially offer a superior balance of performance, integration complexity, and price.

http://quwa.org/2016/10/31/klj-7a-proposed-aesa-radar-jf-17-block-iii/

KLJ-7A is a AESA specially designed for JF17 with performance equals to radar of F-35. Operational mode
including :

• Tracking and searching
• Single/multiple targets tracking
• Dogfight
• Real beam mapping
• Doppler beam sharpening
• Synthetic aperture imaging
• Identify and track moving ground targets
• Sea targets searching and tracking
• Meteorological mode
• Missile guidance and multi targets attack mode

Merits:

1. long detection range
2. High accuracy
3. Multi operational modes
4. Multi target processing ability

Other specs:
Ø600 mm
T/R modules 1150-1200? any more info?
GaAs ou GaN used for MMIC?

 

[The SC]

2015
November 13, 2015

A third Block 3 variant is also under development allegedly with a Chinese-built active electronically scanned array radar, helmet-mounted cueing system, an infrared search and track system and a host of new weapons. The improved variant might also replace the Russian-made RD-93 with a Chinese Guizhou WS-13—assuming China manages to complete development of that engine.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/need-cheap-fighter-aircraft-the-jf-17-might-work-14336

 

[IHK_PK]

When it is available in Pakistan for trials on one of the existing blocks of Jf-17.

 

[Indus Falcon]

AESA,IRST are confirmed by PAF..

I just hope the IRST is not podded?

 

[The SC]

I just hope the IRST is not podded?

They would have said an IRST pod, and since they didn't, it might just be a nose mounted one!...like the Gripen..

 

[The SC]

The design shows that it is ready with all its components, it has entered mass production and will be mounted on the JF-17 Block 3..

 

[graphican]

That 170 KM range is amazing.. and will amplify both offensive and defensive capabilities of PAF.

And I hope JF-17s are able to share their data with each other while in flight and block-III is able to share its data link with block-IIs and make them equally effective as well.

 

[DJ_Viper]

Trancievers average power output is kept linear - straight line - provides effcient utilisation w/o excess thermal buildup and tranciever loss.

Ok.... and that had a link to my post? You know the US sent Monkeys to the Moon before they sent Humans? Does this fit the threat? No, your post sounded just like this. Next time, please stay on the topic and link it to the issue on hand. Thanks

thanks for reply. i mean radar and weapon control(for example see target and fire missile). because if this aesa radar selected then there ill be some new weapons also integrated. so this means software changes or up gradation will b necessary.

Integration, not software changes. Software changes mean you take the OEM code and write more or remove some out of it. Here, you are using the same code, you are just making two API's "talk", aka, integrate them.

For Your clarity StackOverflow is one the largest community of Programmers with good reputation system just check the reputation of individuals in the thread.and 88% of code is in C and C++ only the components which are reused form f 22 have the ada and other languages code

- I don't really care how many "great" programmers are on stackover flow website. There are millions of those kinds of sites.

- Stackoverflow, Sourceforge or genius.com or match.com (to find dates), none of these sites will give you details on proprietary top-secret US product details. Anyone would know that. Let's say on topic please? Thanks

 

[qwerrty]

So China has already made and have in operation AESA radars for their AWACS, J10,J11 and recently the 5th Gen J20 BUT all of a sudden they can't make one for the JF17?

indian logic for you. reality denial.. lol.. and all the claims that it's a copy elta-2052 bs. lol. i don't even know what it looks like underneath that metal cover. people here are supamen with x-ray visions.. amazing! D

those idiot guys at raytheon must be copying too. look at them shape, lrus and placement too. they shouldn't put 'em there. according to armchair indian scientists here, it's a copy if you place 'em lrus there

 

[messiach]

Ok.... and that had a link to my post? You know the US sent Monkeys to the Moon before they sent Humans? Does this fit the threat? No, your post sounded just like this. Next time, please stay on the topic and link it to the issue on hand. Thanks

That was reply to a question posted to me by ssethii only. You got quoted without intent.

 

[dadeechi]

israel is a very interesting country, the doors are open wide to them. they sold china the lavi (aka j10a) tech for uav's control software and radars. the usa probably knows this and tries to restrict this but money is such and influencing factor here

US would always publicly oppose any military sales to China as US openly supporting or making direct sales would me EU countries will follow suit.

This is the right way to make a sale without any competition.

The spat between US and Israel is for public consumption of EU and other allies.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

Paks have checkmated their adversaries once again. They're almost milking the bulls...

 

[aliaselin]

GaAs for sure. If using GaN, the detection range can be easily over 200 km

 

[Mughal-Prince]

GaAs for sure. If using GaN, the detection range can be easily over 200 km

Hope the GaNs TR will be matured with Chinese tech firms soon so the TR modules will be replacesd as GaNs are power efficient and known to my knowledge they are cheap as well.

A question arise when i read the specifications as compare to other AESA it tracks only 16 targets and simultaneously engage 4 where as I have read it somewhere around a figure of 64 target tracking. If its right how this could be improved ? with the improvement of its processing system ??

 

[DJ_Viper]

That was reply to a question posted to me by ssethii only. You got quoted without intent.

Oh, sorry.