AESA Radar Prototype Production for KF-X Fighter Completed

03 Juli 2020

First AESA radar for KF-X will be publicly unveiled on August 12th (all photos : ROK Armed Forces)

The domestic defense industry has completed the production of a radar prototype for the multi-function phased array (AESA) of the core equipment of the Korean Fighter Aircraft  (KFX), which was once even evaluated that it would not be possible to develop with domestic technology. It was confirmed.

According to government sources on the 2nd, the government and military authorities recently produced prototypes of the final AESA radar before and after August 12, and the Defense Science Research Institute researchers and Hanwha Systems, which contributed to the development of the finished domestic AESA radar products. The event will be held by inviting officials.

Previously, the researchers challenged and evaluated the performance evaluation in Israel, which has internationally recognized radar technology with the core functional parts of AESA Radar. The Israeli radar industry is said to have praised the performance of radar functional parts that Korea first developed with its own technology, exceeding expectations.

An official from the government said, “The ceremony scheduled for next month is particularly meaningful in that we have finally done the development of the AESA radar, which was considered to be 'impossible'.” I said.”

AESA Radar is a 'fighter's eye' that tracks and detects over 1,000 targets, and its long-range precision strike ability plays a key role in the concept of modern air combat where victory or defeat is the key.

The military authorities and the defense industry, which had been pursuing the KFX project, planned to complete the technology of developing AESA radar, which the world's leading fighter development and manufacturing companies are exposing to the top, through technology transfer from overseas leading companies.

The Defense Ministry and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration selected the F-35 from two aircraft, the F-35 stealth fighter from Lockheed Martin of the United States and the F-15 Silent Eagle from Boeing of the United States, which bid for the 2014 Air Force Next Generation Fighter Project (FX). We have been promised to transfer the four core technologies (AESA radar, infrared search tracking equipment, electro-optical target tracking equipment, and electromagnetic interference equipment).

However, the domestic defense industry, which suddenly faced a challenge by banning the transfer of the technology by the US Congress, decided to directly develop the four core technologies centered on the Defense Science Research Center, and has concentrated all available resources in this field.

In order to develop prototypes of KFX fighters, it is necessary to pass the basic design (PDR) and detailed design (CDR) stages. Passing the CDR means that you can produce the real thing with all the theoretical and technical skills necessary for KFX production.

The Agency announced that it had passed the CDR on September 26 of last year, but it was reported that the research and development team did not slow down the tension until the final stage of the production of the prototype AESA radar was completed. The military plans to produce a prototype KFX prototype that integrates AESA Radar with a KFX aircraft in the future.

(HeraldCorp)