Pakistan's Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircrafts

[Donatello]

Its Y-9 based MPA that PN might acquire by 2015.

I think they are talking about the one next to the aircraft on right........the one with the radome on the top.

 

[Aamir Hussain]

Yep you are right. The radome structure requires that the aft structure (Aft of the trailing edge of the wing root) is strengthened during prouvtion and not aftewards as an add-on attachment. Therefore, my guess would be that our bird is the farther one from the camera.

 

[Armstrong]

You mean the tigers in the pic? They seem to decorate the dashboard of the car from which the pic was taken

Yaar it was said in jest ! Aaap joke keey taang torr dein !

 

[air marshal]

ZDK-03 AWACS over Karachi today.

 

[Dazzler]

oh yes i saw it too, flying low with grace, going to inspect the Arabian sea to check whether all the onboard systems working fine. It sure is an eye candy

 

[TOPGUN]

What is the amount of crew used on board do we know ? on the ZDK .

 

[air marshal]

ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle

ZDK-03 is an export AWACS system being developed for the Pakistani Air Force. This project was initiated in the early 2000. A Y-8 AWACS testbed (serial # T0518/Project 021) based on Y-8 Category II Platform was first discovered at CFTE in early 2006. Unlike KJ-200, this variant carries a traditional rotodome above its fuselage, with a mechanically rotating antenna inside. The PESA radar is thought to scan electronically in elevation but mechanically in azimuth. Therefore the Y-8 AWACS was speculated to be developed for the export market only as it appears less advanced than KJ-200 which features a fixed AESA radar. However this design does provide a true 360° coverage and carry a cheaper price tag. The AEW radar may be the product of the 38th Institute/CETC, but no details are available. The aircraft also features a solid nose and tail with MAWS sensors on both sides, as well as small vertical stabilizers attached to its tailplanes. Another two MAWS sensors are attached to the tailcone as well. Additional fairings are seen at the wingtips and the tail housing ESM antennas. The Y-8 AWACS protoype was promoted to Pakistani AF in 2006. After some negotiations a much improved design was developed based on PAF's specifications. The variant is now named ZDK-03 (ZDK means CETC) and is based on the new Y-8 Category III Platform featuring WJ-6C turboprops with 6-blade high efficiency propellers. It was reported in early 2009 that a total of 4 were ordered by PAF in a $278m contract. The first ZDK-03 prototype rolled out in November 2010 at SAC. Since then it has been undergoing test at CFTE (S/N 733). Another 3 were built by late 2011. ZDK-03 is expected to serve as the airborne command & control center for the JF-17 fighter fleet currently in service with PAF. However it does not have the secure NATO datalink installed to effectively command western fighter aircraft such as American F-16. Therefore ZDK-03 operates together with Saab-2000 in a "high-low" combination in order to coordinate various Chinese and western made combat aircraft effectively. The first ZDK-03 (S/N 11-001) was delivered to PAF in December 2011. The 2nd (S/N 11-002) is currently undergoing flight tests.

- Last Updated 2/19/12

 

[sancho]

ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle

- Last Updated 2/19/12

Can you provide the link to the source?

 

[DANGER-ZONE]

Can you provide the link to the source?

you could search a little materiel from the Article on Google to dig out the link .... Chinese Military Aviation | China Air Force
let go laziness

 

[air marshal]

Can you provide the link to the source?

Chinese Military Aviation | China Air Force

 

[air marshal]

ZDK-03 variant designed specifically for export to the Pakistan Air Force. Consists of a Chinese AESA radar mounted on the Y-8F600 platform. The radar is reported to have a greater range than that of the PAF's Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C radar. [Picture courtesy: Nadeem]

 

[sancho]

Chinese source:

ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle
ZDK-03 is an export AWACS system being developed for the Pakistani Air Force...
...Unlike KJ-200, this variant carries a traditional rotodome above its fuselage, with a mechanically rotating antenna inside. The PESA radar is thought to scan electronically in elevation but mechanically in azimuth . Therefore the Y-8 AWACS was speculated to be developed for the export market only as it appears less advanced than KJ-200 which features a fixed AESA radar. However this design does provide a true 360° coverage and carry a cheaper price tag.

Pakistani source:

[/IMG]
ZDK-03 variant designed specifically for export to the Pakistan Air Force. Consists of a Chinese AESA radar mounted on the Y-8F600 platform. The radar is reported to have a greater range than that of the PAF's Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C radar

Interesting is also that the Chinese source states that ZDK will not be able to be linked with western fighters, does anybody has other sources that shed some light in how they will be operated and what kind of sensors the ZDK will have?

you could search a little materiel from the Article on Google to dig out the link .... Chinese Military Aviation | China Air Force
let go laziness

I asked the same at other posts of air marshal as well, so it's not laziness, but a request to post the sources to the articles.

 

[Bratva]

last nite met the OC of the ZDK03 Squadron which will be based at Karachi - Masroor AFB. the AESA radar is confirmed and the operator is very happy with the performance of the AWACS system. its AOR is going to be the southern coastal area from rann of kutch to gwadar. the PAF crews spent ~6 months in China, testing, evaluating and training. the 3rd JFT squadron most likely will be also based at Masroor in order to 'data-link' the fighter with the AWACS.

one final point the nation should whole-heartedly thank the efforts of AC - Virjee who was Project Manager for both the Erieye and ZDK03 systems. a brilliant and dedicated officer in the PAF.

Chinese source:



Pakistani source:


Interesting is also that the Chinese source states that ZDK will not be able to be linked with western fighters, does anybody has other sources that shed some light in how they will be operated and what kind of sensors the ZDK will have?




I asked the same at other posts of air marshal as well, so it's not laziness, but a request to post the sources to the articles.

Pakistani source is Officer commanding of ZDK-03 squadron and the Project Director of ZDk-03 and SAAB-2000 AWAC Air Commodore Virjee

Yup ZDK-03 can not be directly linked to western aircraft so an in house solution is being developed. A ground interface where ZDK-03 will send it's update which will be re routed to western air crafts. Idea does not appeal much but how PAF will manage all the Cons is yet to be seen

Oscar is part of that team which is working on this solution and he shared this tid bit with us.

 

[razgriz19]

 

[sancho]

Pakistani source is Officer commanding of ZDK-03 squadron and the Project Director of ZDk-03 and SAAB-2000 AWAC Air Commodore Virjee

Yup ZDK-03 can not be directly linked to western aircraft so an in house solution is being developed. A ground interface where ZDK-03 will send it's update which will be re routed to western air crafts. Idea does not appeal much but how PAF will manage all the Cons is yet to be seen

Oscar is part of that team which is working on this solution and he shared this tid bit with us.

Thanks, any infos on the ESM suit?