Airborne Radar

Latest in Airborne Radar

South Korea has selected an L3Harris Global 6500 bizjet-based solution for its new airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. As we discussed at the time, Seoul launched its search for a new plane back in 2020, to bolster its current fleet of four Boeing E-737s, South Korean versions of the E-7 Wedgetail that has been selected by the U.S. Air Force and NATO, among other customers. Reports from earlier this year suggested that Boeing had already been eliminated or dropped out of the new South Korean competition, something that the company appeared to deny.

South Korea Has Chosen Its Next Airborne Early Warning Radar Jet

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Sep 30, 2025

The U.S. Air Force is hoping to finally kick off flight testing of the new AN/APQ-188 radar for the B-52 shortly.

B-52 Radar Upgrade Flight Testing Expected To Finally Begin Soon

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Aug 28, 2025

The latest addition to General Atomics' MQ-9B medium-altitude long-endurance drone family is set to be an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) configured version.

MQ-9B Airborne Early Warning Variant Could Fill Major Aerial Surveillance Gaps

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway

Posted on Jun 17, 2025

The U.S. Army says it is on schedule to retire the last of its turboprop-powered intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft by the end of this year.

Army To Retire All Of Its Turboprop Surveillance Planes By The End Of The Year

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on May 29, 2025

Aircraft like the KJ-3000 help Chinese forces extend and support anti-access and area denial bubbles, including around the mainland, Taiwan, and the hotly contested South China Sea, as well as project power further afield.

China’s New KJ-3000 Airborne Early Warning Radar Jet Seen In Detail In New Image

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 27, 2025

Raytheon has begun test flights of its compact PhantomStrike radar, which features an active electronically scanned array (AESA) and gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Most significantly, the manufacturer claims that PhantomStrike — which has already been ordered by Poland — brings all the benefits of an AESA antenna at a much lower price point than other radars in its class.

PhantomStrike Low-Cost Lightweight AESA Radar Flies For First Time

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on May 6, 2025

We have gotten our best look so far at China’s enigmatic KJ-700 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). This latest addition to China’s rapidly proliferating family of AEW&C platforms remains somewhat mysterious, although multiple accounts suggest that it’s something of a unique ‘dual-mode’ aircraft, combining both airborne radar as well as an array of electro-optical and infrared sensors, likely intended to track stealthy and low-radar-signature targets.

China’s New KJ-700 Multi-Intelligence Radar Plane’s Interesting Features

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Apr 14, 2025

The U.S. Army has formally given the designation ME-11B to its forthcoming High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) intelligence-gathering aircraft.

ME-11B Official Designation Of Army’s New Intelligence Gathering Business Jets

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 27, 2025

North Korea's shadowy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, based on a Russian Il-76 Candid cargo aircraft, has flown.

First North Korean Airborne Early Warning Jet Flies, Kim Shows Off Interior

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

The U.S. Air Force office responsible for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) is asking for new information about options for derivatives of off-the-shelf multi-mode radars that could go into the bombers.

B-52 Radar Upgrade Alternatives Info Sought By Air Force

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Mar 26, 2025

China’s Massive WZ-9 Divine Eagle Drone Now Operating From South China Sea Base

China’s Massive WZ-9 Divine Eagle Drone Now Operating From South China Sea Base

By Joseph Trevithick, Tyler Rogoway

Updated on Feb 25, 2025

An F-15E on a flight line in San Antonio, Texas. The aircraft was recently upgraded with Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System, advanced electronic warfare system.

F-15E Strike Eagle With New EPAWSS Electronic Warfare Suite Heads To Frontline Unit

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Jan 17, 2025

Pictures have emerged of what looks to be the first known example of a new Chinese airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft based on the four-engine Y-20 cargo plane commonly referred to as the KJ-3000.

China’s New Domestically Developed Y-20 Airborne Early Warning Jet Spotted

By Joseph Trevithick

Posted on Dec 27, 2024

The United Kingdom has taken an important step toward its Tempest next-generation fighter, with the start of a trials campaign for the Flight Test Aircraft (FTA), nicknamed Excalibur, which will serve as a flying laboratory for the new combat aircraft. Based on a Boeing 757 airliner, the FTA joins a growing band of dedicated trials aircraft that are being used to prove out technologies for current and future-generation fighter programs, also in the United States and China.

UK’s 757-Based ‘Excalibur’ Avionics Testbed For Tempest Future Fighter Emerges

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Dec 9, 2024

An AH-64 helicopter hovers during a military drill July 28, 2003 in Yeounchun, South Korea. About 37,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea under a security alliance forged after the 1950-53 Korean War.

AH-64 Apache To Be Tested With Wing-Mounted AESA Radar

By Thomas Newdick

Posted on Nov 25, 2024

Future offensive electronic warfare

How EA-18G Growler’s Next Generation Jammer Actually Works And The Future Of Offensive Electronic Warfare

By Howard Altman

Updated on Sep 20, 2024