Russian AESA Radar for Future MiG 29s

[SpArK]

Russian AESA Radar for Future MiG 29s and Attack Helicopters​

Undaunted by missing the shortlist in India’s MMRCA competition, Phazotron-NIIR Corporation, the manufacturer of the ZHUK AE Active Electronically Scanning Array (AESA) radar is working on installing the radar in future MiG-29s besides the MiG-35 aircraft. A version will be developed for attack and seaborne helicopters of the Mi and KA series.


Providing a rare insight into the AESA radar development, Phazotron-NIIR Corporation General Designer Yuri Guskov said during the MAKS 2011 exhibition recently that his company had continued development of the radar despite the Indian setback. “There was not a single criticism of our radar. Despite a certain bias on the part of the Indian evaluation pilots, their overall appraisal of the radar was very favourable. Everyone loved the extremely maintenance-friendly design, which allows for easy dismantling and reinstallation of the radar in the field”, he said during a media interaction during the show.

The radar had a detection range of 250 km while the Indian tender specified only 130 km, he said adding that his was a true multimode radar, with assorted mapping and target recognition capabilities.

It will be fitted into the MiG 35 fighter which the Russian MOD had decided to order. In addition, the radar would be offered as an upgrade for the newly built MIG 29 fighters, and for retrofitting those aircraft already in operation. No airframe changes are required, he added.

Yuri Guskov said what made the AESA radar suitable for all types of aircraft and helicopters was that it operated on a low voltage and was light and easy to install which meant lower onboard power requirement. “Transmitters from previous generation radars operate from voltage of 18 kV to 30 KV. Such high voltages require specific materials, structural configuration and operational procedures. An AESA radar runs on a mere 30 V to 10 V. This low power requirement combined with a much lower weight than mechanically scanned radars, means it can be used in helicopters such as the KA 27 and KA 52K shipborne attack helicopters increasing detection range to 200 kms.

Further development was on to make the AESA radar suitable for helicopters. “The challenge here is to reduce the weight to less than 50 KGs. We are doing this by reducing the thickness of the radar’s array from 170 mm to 50 MM.

A phased array radar will allow helicopters to use medium range guided munitions such as anti-ship missiles”, he added.


Russian AESA Radar for Future MiG 29s and Attack Helicopters : Defense news

 

[Firemaster]

Why they didn't offered it for our Naval Mig-29K

 

[satishkumarcsc]

Why they didn't offered it for our Naval Mig-29K

Radar wasn't there when the Gorky deal was signed.

 

[rockstarIN]

Can they incorporate the same in our Mig-29s in MLU?

 

[Zabaniyah]

Awesome news!

 

[Abingdonboy]

I think there is a good chance the IN MIG-29Ks are likely to get this in there MLU but given IAF MIG-29s are going through their MLU and UPG right now and are going to be replaced rather soon 2025-30 there is no point in putting AESA in them but Ks have a good chance in the MLU in 5-7 years time.

 

[saumyasupratik]

And they couldn't have put an AESA radar on the MiG-29UPG.I hope they at least upgrade after 5 years along with the MiG-29K.From what I know the Zhuk-ME can be easily upgraded to the Zhuk AE.

 

[Abingdonboy]

And they couldn't have put an AESA radar on the MiG-29UPG.I hope they at least upgrade after 5 years along with the MiG-29K.From what I know the Zhuk-ME can be easily upgraded to the Zhuk AE.

It doable but I don't think it will happen, it's just not feasible for the IAF to spend this kind of money for an ageing airframe like the Mig-29 that is nearing its end in IAF service. The latest IAF MIG-29 UPG (MIG-29UPG) is designed to see the MIG-29 to the end of its service life with the IAF and will be replaced by much more capable a/c.

 

[angeldemon_007]

I think we should join hand with Russians because we need exactly this kind of aesa. Aesa on indian chopper will be good.

 

[rockstarIN]

Why can't we go ahead with Russian for LCA - AESA radar?

 

[tvsram1992]

Why can't we go ahead with Russian for LCA - AESA radar?

we may go for aesa radar on mk2 version .

 

[luckyyy]

The radar had a detection range of 250 km while the Indian tender specified only 130 km,

wasn't the MMRCA tendor delibratly fabricated to faver the Rafale ?

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Why can't we go ahead with Russian for LCA - AESA radar?

We need to get a variant that requires less power as the MiG 29's produce more power(two engines) but Tejas will have just one engine

 

[Major Shaitan Singh]

Legacy MiG-29 upgrades is the first Russian Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA [Click for more ...]) antenna equipped radar to be disclosed publicly. The manufacturer, NIIR Phazotron, has released a considerable volume of technical literature detailing the design philosophy and technology employed in this radar. This paper explores, in radar engineering terms, antenna and transmit receive channel related design features, and the cardinal performance parameters for this radar. While this pre-production radar operates at the lower end of the X-band and has a lower transmit receive channel count than Western radars of similar aperture size, it delivers power-aperture performance superior to all but the very latest Western small aperture fighter radars. The Zhuk AE employs lower density liquid cooled quad channel transmit receive module packaging technology which is comparable to first generation US AESA designs.

A parametric analysis and power aperture modelling is performed on the proposed Zhuk ASE, which is a scaled up version of the Zhuk AE following the model of the Zhuk MSFE built for the Flanker. The Flanker sized Zhuk ASE radar with existing Russian transmit receive module technology will deliver around 60 percent higher raw power aperture performance compared to US APG-79 (F/A-18E/F BII) and APG-81 (JSF) class radars, and if fitted with transistor technology permitting 15 Watts/channel or more, as proposed by NIIR Phazotron, it will outperform the N035 Irbis-E (Su-35BM) and all currently deployed US fighter radars other than the APG-77(V)2 (F-22A Raptor). The earliest feasible IOC for the Zhuk ASE on the Flanker is estimated at 2010.