E-3 is a time-tested and battle-proven platform. The latest E3G variant (Block 40/45 standard) is equipped with technologies that are relevant for modern warfare needs. E3G was able to monitor, process, and facilitate activities in Syrian airspace where SyADF (Syrian), VKS (Russian), USAF (American), and USN (American) were active for relevant missions and neighboring countries such as Israel and Turkey would get involved intermittently with air arms for distinct pursuits, to avert accidents and make sure that
American mission on the ground will succeed. E3G was also involved in incidents in which NATO aircraft engaged and shot down VKS aircraft in the region.
There is so much to a radar system then applying AESA TRMs on it and call it a day.
A radar system can scan a search volume either by mechanically rotating the antenna or by using a phased-array antenna and performing electronic scanning. Imperfectly shaped antenna beams and the process of sweeping the beam across a search volume introduce additional losses to the system. Electronically steered phased arrays can impact the SNR due to beam broadening and a reduction in the effective aperture area of individual elements when steering off the radar boresight.
Prior to detection, the received radar echoes must pass through the radar signal-processing chain. The purpose of different components in the signal-processing chain is to guarantee the required probabilities of detection and false alarm, reject unwanted echoes from clutter, and account for non-Gaussian noise.
We will explore other factors that influence SNR beyond the terrain analysis and then connect back to a scene with mountainous terrain.
www.mwrf.com
The trick is in a well-tested combination of antenna design, waveform technique, peak transmit power, sophisticated
algorithms, and information processing technologies, to effectively scan a search volume and improve line-of-sight irrespective of the approach used (purple highlights).
The AN/APY-2 radar system is OFFICIALLY stated to use
High PRF pulse doppler waveform in S-band to search for and distinguish airborne targets from clutter returns. But it was found to contain
ultra low sidelobe antennas at a closer look. Whoops.
The AN/APY-2 radar received RSIP treatment:
"In order to counter today's increasing threat sophistication, the AWACS radar system has been significantly upgraded under the radar system improvement program (RISP). The RISP modifications enhance radar performance characteristics, add new capabilities, improve the user interface, and lower the life-cycle cost of the AWACS radar, while improving reliability." - LOCKHEED MARTIN
Generic statement.
"RSIP introduces advanced Pulse Doppler waveforms, pulse compression, and new processing algorithms implemented by hardware and software improvements that allow the system to detect and track targets at up to twice the range of original AWACS." - Lockheed Martin
More specific here.
I was able to read between the lines with homework - RSIP was aimed to transform AN/APY-2 into a multi-mode PESA radar system. HYBRID architecture was created since AN/APY-2 RSIP can scan the environment in several ways using Pulse Doppler, Non Pulse Doppler, and Combined approaches:
- Pulse Doppler Nonelevation Scan (PDNES)
- Beyond-the-Horizon (BTH)
- Interleaved
- Pulse Doppler Elevation Scan (PDES)
- Maritime
- Passive
Related information in
here.
RSIP provides the capability to detect up to 100 airborne targets having a small RCS in the face of Electronic Countermeasures employed by opposing forces. Target detection range was significantly increased as well. New computer systems were installed to process information by AN/APY-2 RSIP. One of these is the Surveillance Radar Computer (SRC) capable of performing over 24 billion operations per second.
Another addition is implementation of the AN/UPX-40 system:
“The UPX-40 dramatically improves the detection of weak signals or maneuvering targets at maximum range and improves detection of targets at all ranges.” - Nick Grudziecki
Yet another addition is implementation of
DRAGON system:
25th May 2021 marked exactly 45 years since the first flight of Boeing E-3 Sentry. And that makes a perfect occasion to tell the story of this iconic ‘guardian of the skies’. Origins of the [...]
afterburner.com.pl
Compare the above with original cockpit in
here.
E-3G is a transformed platform by extension.
E-3G is unlikely to struggle with detecting and tracking J-10C from a respectable distance but it might
struggle to detect and track J-20 from a respectable distance. Enter E-2D.
E-2D is equipped with superior
AN/APY-9 radar system, and
solves the problem of detecting and tracking all types of Chinese aerial assets from a respectable distance for USAF and USN. J-20 is designed to deflect and absorb radar waves across frequency bands ranging from S to Ku by virtue of
its shaping and
Chinese RAM application but less effective in either extremes and beyond; canards and all-moving vertical stabilizers are a significant source of specular reflection across a large area.
I was of the view that AN/APY-2 is obsolete until I learned about RSIP update. This system might not hold a candle to AN/APY-9 but it is up to the task for modern warfare needs as it proved itself in Syrian conflict situation where several countries were active for different reasons.
I am somewhat skeptical about your contact. He might be withholding information from you.
System point of view cut both ways, dear.
You need to be more specific about the battle scenario that you have in your mind. WHERE do you expect a battle with US to take place? What is the force composition of China in the relevant region? What is the objective of US in the relevant region?
Eastern Theater Command -- Taiwan, East China Sea
Southern Theater Command -- South China Sea; Southeast Asia border security; territorial disputes
Western Theater Command -- India, Central Asia, "counter-terrorism" in Xinjiang and Tibet
Northern Theater Command -- Korean Peninsula, Russia border security
Central Theater Command -- Capital defense; surge support to other theaters
Many Chinese do not understand how US might fight a war with a near-peer adversary and on what grounds. F-35 has limited capacity to ingress into Chinese mainland on its own. USAF will have to deploy
air refueling tankers to support F-35 in this capacity. But US doesn't need to adopt this approach to take on Chinese defenses in the relevant region.
- - -
B-2A might be the aircraft of choice to
ingress into Chinese mainland to take on Chinese defenses and infrastructure:
This comparison shows that just two B-2A are sufficient to produce "battlefield effects" that would take multiple aircraft to replicate otherwise. And there is no need to use air refueling tankers for B-2A.
- Costs are reduced.
- Complexity is reduced.
- Probability of suffering losses is reduced.
But US will not stress a single platform for a military operation inside China -
Tomahawk Block 4 cruise missiles might be unleashed from ships* and
submarines** to complement operations of B-2A to do the needful.
*Arleigh Burke class destroyers and Ticonderoga class cruisers are equipped with an assortment of well-developed munitions that can be used to intercept cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, UAVs, and aircraft. These ships can work together to create a common picture of the threat environment and will not be easy to defeat. China is expected to use DF-21D and DF-26 ASBM to engage USN ships in the Pacific. USN has conducted
a large number of live-fire tests to develop the capability to intercept ASBMs. But USN will attempt to take out launchers of DF-21D and DF-26 as well.
**Ohio-class submarine(s) do not need to surface for a long period of time courtesy of the onboard
power plant technology and can get close to a country without warning to do their bidding.
- - -
F-35 might be used to
provide ISR to USN and engage PLAAF if it comes after USN in the Pacific.
F-35 is designed to deflect and absorb radar waves across a number of frequency bands ranging from L to V by virtue of
its shaping and
RAM application. These measures allow F-35 to reduce line-of-sight of various radar systems for it to maneuver through the threat environment.
Those radar systems which can detect F-35 such as
Chinese YLC-8E might not be able to track it in real time for long -- F-35 is equipped with
state-of-the-art broadband EW capabilities for good reason. Combat tactics is another factor -- F-35 offers
unprecedented situational awareness to the pilot who in turn will not wait for the kill chain to establish and work against him but engage and destroy valuable targets at earliest opportunity. If this is not possible then
F-35 can be used to illuminate YLC-8E among other radar systems on the surface for the USN to take out with a barrage of Tomahawks. The benefits of CEC are boundless. Radar systems on the surface are vulnerable to decapitating strikes but airborne platforms like E-2D can survive with air escort. You might have faith in A2/AD systems like
HQ-9 but virtually nothing could stop a volley of Tomahawks from approaching desired targets in conflicts around the world and are
kept up to date. Tomahawks have onboard EW capabilities, can be programmed to bypass threat zones, can be instructed to change course, and adopt terrain-hugging approach to reach desired targets. The window of opportunity to detect and intercept these cruise missiles is very small and a volley is virtually impossible to stop.
But PLAAF is in the air? Enter squadrons.
Imagine dozens of F-35 operating in a threat environment taking cues from each other as well as from other assets including E-2D and E3G. Imagine the effectiveness of this force.
For perspective:
A Blue Force composed of 8 jet fighters (F-35B = 4; Others = 4), was able to achieve a kill ratio of (20 - 1) against a RED Force composed of 20
jet fighters in a RED FLAG event scheduled in 2017. These F-35B were older
Block 2B standard and pilots were coming to terms with its capabilities.
To be fair, J-10C, J-16, and J-20 are better than
these. But F-35 is much more capable at
Block 3F standard in comparison to
Block 2B standard and E-2D can add a whole new dimension to its operations in a threat environment.
RED FLAG is also being revisited in its representation of threat environment(s) with new entrants and perceived complexities as pointed out in
here,
here, and
here, and
J-20 is being simulated as a part of
the training regime for the Blue Force in the present.
We spoke to the boss of the 65th Aggressor Squadron, flying the F-35 — the Air Force’s latest red air incarnation.
www.thedrive.com
You can see how advanced Aggressor Squadrons have become.
USAF and USN are training to fight PLAAF.
PL-15 is
impressive but a pilot needs to obtain "weapons-grade lock" on the target to use it which will be very difficult to achieve in the BVR regime against an F-35 in view of the aforementioned.
F-35 will be able to obtain "weapons-grade lock" on every PLAAF jet fighter from a respectable distance with support of E-2D and to lesser extent E3G on the other hand in view of the aforementioned.
AIM-120D is very capable in the BVR regime.
F-35 is very capable in the WVR regime as well due to its formidable EW capabilities and
sensor fusion, and the pilot has the option to use both AIM-9X and AIM-120D to engage opposing aircraft in the WVR regime.
AIM-120 class can deliver results i
n the WVR regime as well.
How many jet fighters PLAAF is willing to loose to engage and defeat each F-35 operating in a system of airborne assets? (20 - 1)? (15 - 1)? (10 - 1)? (5 - 1)? Get my drift?
- - -
Marketing items? Japanese data is credible. The AWACS in question might be Japanese E3 variant. RCS figure(s) of the jet fighters are corroborated with official revelations and relevant patents and valid for S-band.
KJ-500 is equipped with a radar system having AESA TRMs which is great but are you privy to its algorithms,
waveform technique, and peak transmit power? What I know is that it can detect up to 100 airborne targets and operates in the
L-band. The radar system might be good enough to detect cruise missiles and possibly J-20 but... F-35 is VLO across bands ranging from L to V with formidable EW capabilities (see above). This is why I am of the view that KJ-500 itself will be struggling to detect and track F-35 in real time.
Speaking of sources,
Venezuela claimed to have detected and discouraged an F-22A operating nearby courtesy of the Chinese JY-27A radar system - a story that was used to create unrealistic hype of this radar system in
here (hundreds fooled) but a realistic take on this radar system is in
here. Americans didn't even bother to address this claim. You might have heard of
Luneburg lens. You should request your contact to take you to RED FLAG - let me know your findings.
Quora posts might be trash on average but well-informed people are also active on the platform and provide valuable information from time-to-time. Valuable knowledge can be found anywhere including on PDF.
I understand that belief is not convincing, and prefer to work with Facts & Figures or with realistic approximations in case of lack of data. I had
a debate with a Russian member about 5th generation fighters and I attempted to convince him with meaningful information that F-22A is much more stealthy than Su-57 but he
was dismissive.
Well-informed individuals and
independent analysis proved me right. Maybe common sense comes to a person naturally - it is not common though.
I am mindful of Chinese advances and appreciate them in person. But I have some observations. China has benefited tremendously from Foreign investments in general, and from
purchasing European technologies to develop Chinese tech base in particular, and with this dynamic comes the capacity to compete with US on many counts. Both UK and Germany are significant contributors to Chinese tech base on many counts. Some pointers for reference below.
The bilateral trade between Germany and China reached $258 billion in 2020, and China enjoys a massive trade surplus of $20.24 billion over Germany.
tfiglobalnews.com
www.fdd.org
ARM and SMIC Collaborate To Develop ARM Core-based Test Chip For China
www.design-reuse.com
Nexperia, a Dutch subsidiary of the Chinese technology company Wingtech, engineered a takeover of Newport Wafer Fab last spring.
www.politico.eu
But US is spooked and have resorted to export controls:
Chinese chip designers can't access high-performance CPU IP.
www.tomshardware.com
The export controls might tighten in time and China will be compelled to develop domestic solutions as noted in following link:
A delegate to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has called for more efforts towards developing self-reliant computer technologies.According to Hu, China's IT industry has been mainly built on two foreign technology platforms-
news.cgtn.com
US is a bonafide tech powerhouse on the other hand. US will also attempt to cut off China from Western tech flows. China needs to reflect on this issue and adopt conciliatory tone with Western countries. China also needs to focus on developing on homegrown solutions.
But Chinese are becoming over-confident and looking down on American technologies and underestimating American technological advances. This is bad judgement. One should not grow complacent.
Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain For we’ve received orders for [...]
edgestudio.com
F-16 Block 70/72 is a significant leap from the older Block 50/52 on all counts:
The most advanced version of the F-16, the Block 70/72 mounts the APG-83 active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar, a new electronic warfare suite called Viper Shield, a more powerful mission computer, an updated cockpit with larger color displays—including zoom and the ability to rearrange displayed information—an uprated engine, capability for most modern weapons, conformal overwing fuel tanks and an infrared search-and-track system and targeting pod capability, improved data links, precision GPS navigation, and an automatic ground collision avoidance system (GCAS), among other improvements. The Block 70/72 also has a structural service life of 12,000 hours, about 50 percent longer than previous F-16s, meaning the type could stay in service until 2060 or so.
The first F-16 of the Block 70/72 configuration has rolled out of Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, S.C., facility.
www.airandspaceforces.com
Anyways, nice talking to you.