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KJ-2000
KJ-2000 (NATO reporting name: Mainring) is a Chinese Airborne Early Warning and Control system comprising domestically designed electronics and radars installed on a modified Ilyushin IL-76 airframe.
Development
The KJ-2000 development program started after the cancellation of the A-50I deal with Israel and Russia in July 2000, due to strong U.S. pressure and interference regarding the Israeli radar that was to be mounted. China then went on to developing a domestic AWACS and the first aircraft made its maiden flight in 2003. Four KJ-2000 aircraft have been identified so far. Production of new aircraft will likely be delayed, as it depends on the acquisition of more IL-76 airframes from Russia in the future. Currently, the Russian defense exporter Rosoboronexport has imposed a significant price hike on all future IL-76s delivered to China and India despite previous contract. Both countries are currently in negotiation with Russia regarding this matter as of early 2008. In March 2011, Russia/China negotiation reaches a new agreement to move production of IL-76s to russian owned companies, in this way it is expected production can be run smoothly to supply China new IL-76s, while delivery of D-30KP-2 engines is not affected by recent issues. Because of the unreliable foreign supplier source, China had developed a backup known as the KJ-200 by installing the entire system on board the Shaanxi Y-8. This aircraft has a similar configuration to that of the KJ-2000 and the platform is characterized by the triple tail configuration (one large and two small).
Design
The current KJ-2000 AWACS in Chinese service is equipped with a domestic AESA (active electronically scanned array),[4] also known as active phased array, radar. The radar was designed by the Research Institute of Electronic Technology (also more commonly known as the 14th Institute) at Nanjing, and it utilizes the experience gained from the 14th Institute's earlier indigenously developed Type H/LJG-346 SAPARS (Shipborne Active Phased Array Radar System) that was completed in 1998. The same Type H/LJG-346 SAPARS was also the predecessor of the active phased array radar system equipping the PLAN Lanzhou class destroyers. The radar is arranged in the same way as that of the Beriev A-50I.
Operational history
The PLAAF's first AWACS regiment was established at a small and remote airfield in southern China, for security reasons, during late 2004. The commander appointed to the regiment was Zhang Guangjian (张广建
, a pilot with over 6,000 hours of flight time on various aircraft including the Il-76. The base was re-built and re-equipped for handling the KJ-2000, the first of which reached the base in 2005. A mixed fleet of KJ-2000 and the smaller KJ-200 has been operated at the base. During 2006 a war exercise was held in north west China, during which a KJ-2000 and KJ-200 were deployed from the regiment for evaluation.[citation needed]
On June 7, 2006, it was reported that a KJ-2000 crashed killing all 40 crew and technicians aboard. According to Hong Kong media reports, Guo Boxiong, a senior military official in Beijing, was leading the investigation into the accident. The crash was believed to have affected China's efforts to develop an indigenous AWACS platform.
Operators
People's Republic of China
People's Liberation Army Air Force - 5 were estimated in service as of 2008.
KJ-2000 (NATO reporting name: Mainring) is a Chinese Airborne Early Warning and Control system comprising domestically designed electronics and radars installed on a modified Ilyushin IL-76 airframe.
Development
The KJ-2000 development program started after the cancellation of the A-50I deal with Israel and Russia in July 2000, due to strong U.S. pressure and interference regarding the Israeli radar that was to be mounted. China then went on to developing a domestic AWACS and the first aircraft made its maiden flight in 2003. Four KJ-2000 aircraft have been identified so far. Production of new aircraft will likely be delayed, as it depends on the acquisition of more IL-76 airframes from Russia in the future. Currently, the Russian defense exporter Rosoboronexport has imposed a significant price hike on all future IL-76s delivered to China and India despite previous contract. Both countries are currently in negotiation with Russia regarding this matter as of early 2008. In March 2011, Russia/China negotiation reaches a new agreement to move production of IL-76s to russian owned companies, in this way it is expected production can be run smoothly to supply China new IL-76s, while delivery of D-30KP-2 engines is not affected by recent issues. Because of the unreliable foreign supplier source, China had developed a backup known as the KJ-200 by installing the entire system on board the Shaanxi Y-8. This aircraft has a similar configuration to that of the KJ-2000 and the platform is characterized by the triple tail configuration (one large and two small).
Design
The current KJ-2000 AWACS in Chinese service is equipped with a domestic AESA (active electronically scanned array),[4] also known as active phased array, radar. The radar was designed by the Research Institute of Electronic Technology (also more commonly known as the 14th Institute) at Nanjing, and it utilizes the experience gained from the 14th Institute's earlier indigenously developed Type H/LJG-346 SAPARS (Shipborne Active Phased Array Radar System) that was completed in 1998. The same Type H/LJG-346 SAPARS was also the predecessor of the active phased array radar system equipping the PLAN Lanzhou class destroyers. The radar is arranged in the same way as that of the Beriev A-50I.
Operational history
The PLAAF's first AWACS regiment was established at a small and remote airfield in southern China, for security reasons, during late 2004. The commander appointed to the regiment was Zhang Guangjian (张广建
, a pilot with over 6,000 hours of flight time on various aircraft including the Il-76. The base was re-built and re-equipped for handling the KJ-2000, the first of which reached the base in 2005. A mixed fleet of KJ-2000 and the smaller KJ-200 has been operated at the base. During 2006 a war exercise was held in north west China, during which a KJ-2000 and KJ-200 were deployed from the regiment for evaluation.[citation needed]On June 7, 2006, it was reported that a KJ-2000 crashed killing all 40 crew and technicians aboard. According to Hong Kong media reports, Guo Boxiong, a senior military official in Beijing, was leading the investigation into the accident. The crash was believed to have affected China's efforts to develop an indigenous AWACS platform.
Operators
People's Republic of China
People's Liberation Army Air Force - 5 were estimated in service as of 2008.
