Active phased array radar. Radar system with aesa pak fa

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Lieutenant Colonel Engineer M. Mikhov

Measures to further increase the combat power of the US Air Force include the creation of not only new, more advanced aircraft, but also various equipment, the use of which would expand their combat capabilities. In particular, the command of the US Air Force pays great attention to the development of multifunctional aircraft radar stations that would provide detection of air, ground and surface targets (several at the same time) and determination of their coordinates, control of on-board weapons, assessment of terrain in the interests of ensuring flight safety at low altitudes.

American experts believe that the sequential or simultaneous performance of several functions by a radar largely depends on the speed and completeness of the survey of space, that is, on how quickly the radar beam will move in a given sector and change its shape (directional pattern). It is noted that to search and track air targets, a sharp radiation pattern is required, scanning within the entire front hemisphere, and for viewing the earth's surface, a flat pattern (cosecant square in elevation) scanning in azimuth in the lower part of the front hemisphere is required. In order to effectively support flight at low altitudes, it is necessary to quickly scan the radar beam in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

Existing antenna systems, which use parabolic reflectors of high-frequency signals to form the beam pattern, do not allow one radar to perform multiple functions. Such antennas, according to American experts, do not have the width of the field of view required for a multifunctional radar, have insufficient beam scanning speed, are large in weight and volume, and have low reliability, that is, they are not suitable for radars designed for simultaneous operation on several goals and fulfillment various functions. Therefore, for example, on the FB-111 aircraft, two radars and three antennas are installed to ensure the fulfillment of all its combat missions.

In this regard, in the United States, already in the early 60s, work began on creating fundamentally new antennas for aircraft multifunctional radars. These antennas are phased array antennas (PAA). Foreign press notes that the main advantage of phased arrays over a conventional reflective (mirror) antenna is the electronic control of the beam, which is ensured by changing the phase of the emitted signal of each of the elementary emitters according to a certain law. The array can contain from several hundred to several thousand such emitters. The time it takes for the beam to move between two extreme positions does not exceed several microseconds, and a rapid change in the shape of the radiation pattern is possible. An essential feature of the phased array operation is the need to include in the radar set an electronic computer that can quickly control all the array emitters simultaneously. The phased array provides a wider field of view than a conventional antenna, and thanks to its fixed design, it is convenient to place under the radome on board the aircraft. Heavy and bulky electromechanical or hydraulic control devices are also eliminated and the survivability of the radar is increased, since it performs its functions even if a significant number of elementary emitters fail.

American experts consider the creation of so-called “conformed arrays”, the elements of which will be located along the complex convex surface of various sections of the aircraft skin, to be one of the promising directions in the development of phased arrays. This may increase the viewing area and free up a significant usable volume in the nose of the aircraft for placement of other radio-electronic equipment or weapons.

The most promising, despite the complexity electrical diagrams, foreign experts consider the so-called “active” phased arrays, in which the elementary emitters are independent transceivers. Such phased arrays make it possible to realize energy potential with high efficiency high frequency generators and significantly increase the reliability of the radar. A significant obstacle to the creation of such radars is the current lack of sufficiently economical, lightweight and powerful solid-state high-frequency generators or power amplifiers. Therefore, in the USA, passive lens antennas (reflective or pass-through) are being developed as intermediate versions of phased arrays, in which an array of high-frequency phase shifters, irradiated by a wide beam from a single source of a powerful high-frequency signal, is used to form the required radiation patterns.

Depending on the method of supplying high-frequency signals, there are two types of passive pass-through phased arrays: with an open waveguide system, when the array is irradiated by one wide beam from a weakly directional source, and with a closed one, when the transmitted high-frequency signal is supplied to the elementary phase shifters of the array using an extensive system of waveguides.

One of the options for a passive pass-through phased array with a closed waveguide system is a waveguide slot array, in which the radiating elements are slits in the walls of the waveguides. The phase of a high-frequency signal in such an array is controlled not in a separate element, but in a group of elements by using a group phase shifter in the corresponding section of the waveguide. In this case, the possibilities of electrical control of the phased array radiation pattern in a plane passing along the waveguide section are sharply reduced, and in connection with this, the need arises to use mechanical scanning of the beam.

One of the main parts of the phased array unit cell is a high-frequency phase shifter. Typically, phase shifters are made using ferrites or reactive diodes, and, despite significant insertion losses and low permissible power dissipation, preference is given to the latter due to their light weight, ease of control and high speed switching

Rice. 1. Block diagram of the MERA radar module: 1 - antenna; 2 - antenna switch; 3 - frequency multiplier; 4 - switching signal from reception to transmission; 5 - mixer; 6 - pulse amplifier; 7 - pulse signal modulation; 8 - intermediate frequency amplifier; 9 - phase shifter of the receiving path, 10 - logical control circuit; 11 - phase shifter of the transmitting path; 12 - phase-shifting device; 13 - power amplifier; 14 - control signals from the computer

Fig. 2. MERA radar module. a - location of the main elements in the upper and lower parts of the module; b - appearance of the assembled module

Phase shifters are usually controlled using signals coming from a digital computer. Foreign press notes that if the signals have a small number of bits, then the number of fixed phase values of the high-frequency signal decreases and when installing the radar beam, quantization errors occur, and an increase in the bit depth of control signals leads to complication the design of phase shifters and the increase in their weight. American experts conducted experiments to evaluate these errors by taking into account the drop in radiation power in the required direction at the maximum quantization error and obtained the following results: with a single-bit control signal (phase setting through 180°), this drop is 4 dB (60 percent), and with a two-bit control signal (phase setting at 90°) - only 0.9 dB (20 percent). From this it was concluded that for most aircraft radars, control of a two-bit signal is optimal. It is believed that the quantization error is fully compensated due to the high speed of beam movement and further processing of the received signal.

As a result of work carried out in the USA in the second half of the 60s, Texas Instruments, Maxson Electronics, Hughes Aircraft, Raytheon and some others developed a number of prototype radars with active and passive phased arrays and electronic beam control . A brief description of some of them is given below.

Radar MERA (Molecular Electronics for Radar Application), created by specialists from Texas Instruments, is one of the first stations with active phased array. This radar was first demonstrated in 1968. Its antenna array consists of 604 solid-state modules that operate in the 3-cm wavelength range. A block diagram of one such module is shown in Fig. 1 When transmitting, signals with a frequency of 2250 MHz are used to excite the modules, and when receiving reflected signals, local oscillators operating at a frequency of 2125 MHz are used. The layout, appearance and dimensions of the module are shown in Fig. 2 (numerical symbols correspond to the symbols in Fig. 1). The elements of the modules on the phased array area were placed according to an empirical position: two or three modules per area equal to the square of the radar wavelength. To achieve a pulse power of an onboard radar (intended for surveying the earth's surface) equal to 60 kW, it was planned to use modules with a radiation power of 100 W. However, the technical capabilities of producing solid-state amplifiers of such power in the given dimensions turned out to be unrealistic, and the resulting energy deficit was compensated for through the use of pulse compression circuits. It was reported that the average estimated time of radar operation per failure was several hundred hours.

The development experience, diagrams and some design solutions of the experimental MERA radar were used to create a prototype of the RASSR (Reliable Advanced) radar in the early 70s Solid State Radar), the company's specialists believed that this radar could well be installed on promising tactical aircraft of the 70s. Its phased array consisted of 1648 transceiver modules, similar in construction principle to the MERA radar modules.

The Maxson Electronics company, commissioned by the US Naval Aviation Command, developed a prototype 1-cm range radar with a reflective phased array. This radar was installed on the A-6 aircraft in 1969 for flight testing. The phased array with a diameter of 72 cm consisted of 1500 elements with high-frequency phase shifters using reactive diodes. The dimensions of each element are 98x10x10 mm. The signal to the grating was supplied from a four-horn feed. The array phase shifters were controlled using signals coming from a lightweight, small-sized onboard computer weighing 2.3 kg, which ensured beam installation within 250 μs. The radar was powered from special block food weighing 2.7 kg. Power consumption of the station is 700 W.

According to foreign press reports, specialists from this company, based on the above-mentioned prototype, have developed a project for an improved radar with a phased array with a diameter of 144 cm, consisting of 6000 elements. The estimated weight of such a grid is 77 kg, and the cost is 150 thousand dollars. The array's phase shifters can withstand radiation power of more than 2 W, so American experts believe that such a radar could have a pulse power of 1.5 MW, and this is quite enough for aircraft stations of any class. For such a radar it was supposed to use a modified computer, which ensures installation of the beam in 1.5 μs.

For promising fighter-interceptors of the US Navy in 1969, Hughes Aircraft developed the ESIRA (Electronically Scanned Interceptor Radar Antenna) radar. Its passive reflective phased array with a diameter of about 150 cm consists of 2400 elements and a four-horn feed.

Fig. 3. Appearance of the AN/APO-140 radar

Rice. 4. Airborne radar with a slotted full-flow phased array installed in the nose of the F-I4 aircraft

Rice. 5. Main blocks and phased array of the RDR-1400 surveillance navigation radar

By order of the US Air Force command, the American company Raytheon developed the AN/APQ-140 radar, which was intended for installation on the B-1 supersonic strategic bomber created by Boeing. A prototype of this radar with a reflective phased array with a diameter of about 70 cm, consisting of 3800 elements (Fig. 3), was flight tested on a special aircraft. However, for a number of reasons, the adoption of this radar for service was postponed, and in the first stages of serial production of the B-1 aircraft, it is planned to install not just one multifunctional radar, but a set of stations, which is an improved version of the radar set of the FB-111 aircraft.

Foreign press reports that intensive work on the creation of aircraft radars with phased arrays, carried out in the United States since the second half of the 60s, did not produce the expected results. Due to technical difficulties that arose during the implementation of projects and the insufficiently high reliability of solid-state phased array elements, modern American combat aircraft still do not have on-board radars with full electronically controlled beam. In addition, the high cost of the work had a significant impact on the implementation of the programs.

According to foreign press reports, in the United States, when creating multifunctional radars, an intermediate design version of the phased array is used, which is a waveguide slot array with a closed feeder system and powered by a common high-frequency power generator. As stated earlier, the limited electronic control of the radiation pattern in such an antenna must be combined with mechanical scanning of its array. However, despite this, they have advantages over conventional antennas. In particular, it is noted that careful phasing of the emitters significantly reduces the level of side lobes, and the absence of a forward-facing feed or counter-reflector makes it possible, given the dimensions of the radome, to increase the diameter of the antenna and its maximum angular deviations, and, consequently, to narrow the radiation pattern and increase the viewing area. In addition, bringing the center of gravity of the antenna system closer to its suspension units makes it possible to significantly simplify their design and increase the speed of movement of the antenna.

The USA has already developed several types of radars with slot antenna arrays. For example, the F-14 Tomcat multirole carrier-based fighters are equipped with AN/AWG-9 weapon control radar systems created by Hughes Aircraft (Fig. 4). It is reported that the combination of electronic and fast mechanical beam scanning in this radar provides simultaneous tracking of several air targets. On the basis of this station, the company developed a series of Atlas radars, which are planned to be installed on promising tactical aircraft. An antenna of a similar type (in the form of a slotted waveguide array) was used by United Aircraft in the Mercury radar, which is expected to be used on a promising US Air Force fighter. The Mercury radar antenna, a prototype of which was demonstrated by the company at the end of 1974, consists of 30 horizontal sections of waveguides with slot emitters located in the narrow walls of the waveguides. Its design provides mechanical scanning in azimuth within ±70° and electronic scanning up to 50° in elevation.

The American press notes that due to their advantages and relatively simple design, slotted waveguide antenna arrays will find application not only in multifunctional, but also in simpler aircraft airborne radars. In particular, the Bendix company has developed a surveillance navigation radar RDR-1400 (Fig. 5), in which the antenna array provides only beam formation, and visibility in both angular coordinates (azimuth and elevation) is carried out due to its mechanical rotation. The RDR-1400 has a narrow radiation pattern and is designed to detect small surface targets. It is planned to be installed on patrol and search and rescue aircraft and helicopters.

Many foreign experts believe that in the coming years the most likely type of antenna for aircraft multifunctional radars will be a slotted waveguide array with partial mechanical scanning, and the adoption of radars with fully electronic beam control should be expected no earlier than the early 80s.

Active phased array antenna (AFAR) - a phased antenna array in which the direction of radiation and (or) the shape of the radiation pattern are regulated by changing the amplitude-phase distribution of currents or excitation fields on the active radiating elements.

An active phased array antenna is structurally composed of modules that combine a radiating element (or group of radiating elements) and active devices (amplifiers, generators or converters). In the simplest case, these devices can amplify the signal transmitted or received by the radiating element, as well as convert the signal frequency, generate (shape) a signal, convert the signal from analog to digital form and (or) from digital to analog. For joint coordinated operation, all APAA modules must be combined by a circuit for distributing the exciter signal (in receiving mode - by a signal collection circuit in receiving device), or the operation of the modules must be synchronized from a single source.

Unlike AFAR, passive phased array does not contain active devices. For example, in a transmitting system equipped with a passive phased array, a radio signal is generated and amplified to the required power in a single radio transmitter for the entire system, after which it is distributed (and the radio signal power is divided) between the radiating elements. On the contrary, the transmitting APAA does not have a single powerful output amplifier: less powerful amplifiers are located in each of its modules.

Comparison with a passive array[edit | edit wiki text]

In a typical passive array, one transmitter with a power of several kilowatts powers several hundred elements, each of which emits only tens of watts of power. A modern microwave transistor amplifier can, however, also produce tens of watts, and in an active phased array radar several hundred modules, each with tens of watts of power, create a total of several kilowatts of powerful radar main beam.

While the result is identical, active arrays are much more reliable, because although the failure of one transceiver element of the array distorts the antenna's radiation pattern, which somewhat degrades the characteristics of the locator, overall it remains operational. Catastrophic failure of the transmitter lamp, which is a problem with conventional radars, simply cannot occur. An additional benefit is the weight savings without a large high wattage lamp, associated cooling system and large high voltage power supply.

Another feature that can only be used in active arrays is the ability to control the gain of individual transmit/receive modules. If this can be done, the range of angles through which the beam can be deflected is greatly increased, and thus many of the array geometry limitations that conventional phased arrays have can be circumvented. Such gratings are called super magnification gratings. It is unclear from the published literature whether any existing or planned antenna arrays use this technique.

Disadvantages[edit | edit wiki text]

AESA technology has two key problems:

Power dissipation[edit | edit wiki text]

The first problem is power dissipation. Due to the shortcomings of microwave transistor amplifiers (monolithic microwave integrated circuit, MMIC), the module's transmitter efficiency is typically less than 45%. As a result, AFAR allocates a large number of heat that must be dissipated to keep the transmitter chips from melting - the reliability of GaAs MMIC chips is improved at low operating temperatures. Traditional air cooling used in conventional computers and avionics is poorly suited for high density packaging of AFAR elements, as a result of which modern AFARs are cooled by liquid (American projects use polyalphaolefin (PAO) coolant, similar to synthetic hydraulic fluid). Typical fluid system Cooling uses pumps that introduce coolant through channels in the antenna, and then remove it to a heat exchanger - this can be either an air cooler (radiator) or a heat exchanger in the fuel tank - with a second liquid cooling the heat exchange loop to reduce heating of the contents of the fuel tank.

Compared to a conventional air-cooled fighter radar, an AESA radar is more reliable, but consumes more power and requires more cooling. But AESA can provide much greater transmitted power, which is necessary for a greater target detection range (increasing transmit power, however, has the disadvantage of increasing the footprint over which enemy radio reconnaissance or RWR can detect the radar).

Price

Another problem is the cost of mass production of modules. For a fighter radar, typically requiring 1000 to 1800 modules, the cost of AESA becomes prohibitive if the modules cost more than one hundred dollars each. Early modules cost approximately $2,000, which did not allow for mass use of AESA. However, the cost of such modules and MMIC chips is constantly decreasing, since the cost of their development and production is constantly decreasing.

Despite their shortcomings, active phased arrays are superior to conventional radar antennas in almost every way, providing superior tracking capability and reliability, albeit at some increase in complexity and possibly cost.

Comparison with a passive array

While the result is identical, active arrays are much more reliable, since the failure of one transceiver element of the array distorts the antenna pattern, which somewhat degrades the performance of the locator, but overall it remains operational. Catastrophic failure of the transmitter lamp, which is a problem with conventional radars, simply cannot occur. An additional benefit is the weight savings without a large high wattage lamp, associated cooling system and large high voltage power supply.

Flaws

AESA technology has two key problems:

Power dissipation

The first problem is power dissipation. Due to the shortcomings of microwave transistor amplifiers (MMICs), the module's transmitter efficiency is typically less than 45%. As a result, the APAR generates a large amount of heat, which must be dissipated to keep the transmitter chips from melting into liquid gallium arsenide - the reliability of GaAs MMIC chips is improved at low operating temperatures. Traditional air cooling, used in conventional computers and avionics, is poorly suited for high packing densities of AESA elements, as a result of which modern AESA elements are cooled by liquid (American projects use polyalphaolefin (PAO) coolant, similar to synthetic hydraulic fluid). A typical liquid cooling system uses pumps that introduce coolant through passages in the antenna and then carry it to a heat exchanger - this could be either an air cooler (radiator) or a heat exchanger in the fuel tank - with a second fluid cooling the heat exchange loop to remove the heat from fuel tank.

Compared to a conventional air-cooled fighter radar, AESA is more reliable, but will consume more power and require more cooling. But AESA can provide much greater transmitting power, which is necessary for a greater target detection range (increasing transmitting power, however, has the disadvantage of increasing the footprint over which enemy radio reconnaissance or RWR can detect the radar).

Price

Seven questions and answers about airborne radar operation

Radar with AFAR (Zhuk-AE) Source: Aviapanorama

Today aviation is unthinkable without radars. An airborne radar station (ARS) is one of the most important elements of radio-electronic equipment of a modern aircraft. According to experts, in the near future, radars will remain the main means of detecting, tracking targets and pointing guided weapons at them.

We will try to answer the most common questions about the operation of radars on board and tell how the first radars were created and how promising radar stations can surprise us.

1. When did the first on-board radars appear?

The idea of using radar equipment on airplanes came several years after the first ground-based radars appeared. In our country, the prototype of the first radar was the Redut ground station.

One of the main problems was the placement of the equipment on the aircraft - the station set with power supplies and cables weighed approximately 500 kg. It was impossible to install such equipment on a single-seat fighter of that time, so it was decided to place the station on a two-seat Pe-2.

The first domestic airborne radar station, called Gneiss-2, was put into service in 1942. Over the course of two years, more than 230 Gneiss-2 stations were produced. And in the victorious year of 1945, Phazotron-NIIR, now part of KRET, began serial production aircraft radar station "Gneiss-5s". The target detection range reached 7 km.

Abroad, the first aviation radar "AI Mark I" - British - was put into service a little earlier, in 1939. Due to its heavy weight, it was installed on heavy Bristol Beaufighter interceptor fighters. In 1940, a new model, the AI Mark IV, entered service. It provided target detection at a range of up to 5.5 km.

2. What does an airborne radar consist of?

Structurally, the radar consists of several removable blocks located in the nose of the aircraft: a transmitter, an antenna system, a receiver, a data processor, a programmable signal processor, consoles and controls and displays.

Today, almost all airborne radars have an antenna system that consists of a flat slot antenna array, a Cassegrain antenna, a passive or active phased array antenna.

Modern radars operate in a range of different frequencies and allow the detection of air targets with EPR (Effective Scattering Area) in one square meter at a distance of hundreds of kilometers, and also provide escort for dozens of targets along the way.

In addition to target detection, today radars provide radio correction, flight missions and target designation for the use of guided airborne weapons, map the earth's surface with a resolution of up to one meter, and also solve auxiliary tasks: following the terrain, measuring one's own speed, altitude, drift angle, and others .

3. How does airborne radar work?

Today, modern fighter aircraft use pulse-Doppler radars. The name itself describes the operating principle of such a radar station.

The radar station does not operate continuously, but in periodic shocks - pulses. In today's locators, sending a pulse lasts only a few millionths of a second, and the pauses between pulses last a few hundredths or thousandths of a second.

Having encountered any obstacle along the path of their propagation, radio waves are scattered in all directions and reflected from it back to the radar station. At the same time, the radar transmitter automatically turns off and the radio receiver starts working.

One of the main problems of pulsed radars is getting rid of the signal reflected from stationary objects. For example, for airborne radars, the problem is that reflection from the earth's surface obscures all objects lying below the aircraft. This interference is eliminated using the Doppler effect, according to which the frequency of the wave reflected from an approaching object increases, and from a departing object decreases.

4. What do X, K, Ka and Ku ranges mean in radar characteristics?

Today, the range of wavelengths in which airborne radar stations operate is extremely wide. In the radar characteristics, the range of the station is indicated in Latin letters, for example, X, K, Ka or Ku.

For example, the Irbis radar with a passive phased array antenna installed on the Su-35 fighter operates in the X-band. At the same time, the detection range of Irbis air targets reaches 400 km.

Irbis-E airborne phased array radar

X-band is widely used in radar. It extends from 8 to 12 GHz of the electromagnetic spectrum, that is, wavelengths from 3.75 to 2.5 cm. Why is it named this way? There is a version that during the Second World War the range was classified and therefore received the name X-band.

All range names with Latin letter The k in the name has a less mysterious origin - from the German word kurz (“short”). This range corresponds to wavelengths from 1.67 to 1.13 cm. In combination with the English words above and under, the Ka and Ku bands received their names, respectively, being “above” and “below” the K-band.

Ka-band radars are capable of operating over short ranges and producing ultra-high resolution measurements. Such radars are often used for air traffic control at airports, where very short pulses—a few nanoseconds long—are used to determine the distance to an aircraft.

Ka-band is often used in helicopter radars. As is known, to be placed on a helicopter, the radar antenna must be small in size. Taking this fact into account, as well as the need for acceptable resolution, the millimeter wavelength range is used. For example, the Ka-52 Alligator combat helicopter is equipped with the Arbalet radar system, operating in the eight-millimeter Ka-band. This radar developed by KRET provides the Alligator with enormous capabilities.

Thus, each range has its own advantages and, depending on the deployment conditions and tasks, the radar operates in different frequency ranges. For example, obtaining high resolution in the forward sector of the review makes the Ka-band possible, and increasing the radar range makes the X-band possible.

5. What is PAR?

Obviously, in order to receive and transmit signals, any radar needs an antenna. To fit it into an airplane, they came up with special flat antenna systems, and the receiver and transmitter are located behind the antenna. To see different targets with radar, the antenna must be moved. Since the radar antenna is quite massive, it moves slowly. At the same time, simultaneous attack of several targets becomes problematic, because a radar with a conventional antenna keeps only one target in its “field of view”.

Modern electronics have made it possible to abandon such mechanical scanning in radars. It is arranged as follows: a flat (rectangular or round) antenna is divided into cells. Each such cell contains a special device - a phase shifter, which can change the phase of the electromagnetic wave that enters the cell by a given angle. The processed signals from the cells arrive at the receiver. This is how you can describe the operation of a phased array antenna (PAR).

More precisely, such an antenna array with many phase shifter elements, but with one receiver and one transmitter is called a passive phased array. By the way, the first fighter in the world equipped with a passive phased array radar is our Russian MiG-31. It was equipped with the Zaslon radar developed by the Research Institute of Instrument Engineering named after. Tikhomirov.

6. Why is AFAR needed?

An active phased array antenna (AFAR) is the next step in the development of a passive one. In such an antenna, each array cell contains its own transceiver. Their number may exceed one thousand. That is, if a traditional locator consists of a separate antenna, receiver, and transmitter, then in AFAR the receiver with the transmitter and the antenna “scatter” into modules, each of which contains an antenna slot, a phase shifter, a transmitter and a receiver.

Previously, if, for example, the transmitter failed, the plane became “blind.” If one or two cells, even a dozen, are affected in the AFAR, the rest continue to work. This is the key advantage of AFAR. Thanks to thousands of receivers and transmitters, the reliability and sensitivity of the antenna increases, and it also becomes possible to operate on several frequencies at once.

But the main thing is that the AFAR structure allows the radar to solve several problems in parallel. For example, not only serve dozens of targets, but also, in parallel with surveying the space, very effectively protect against interference, interfere with enemy radars and map the surface, obtaining high-resolution maps.

By the way, the first airborne radar station in Russia with AFAR was created at the KRET enterprise, in the Fazotron-NIIR corporation.

7. What radar will be on the fifth generation PAK FA fighter?

Among the promising developments of KRET are conformal AFARs that can fit into the fuselage of an aircraft, as well as the so-called “smart” airframe skin. In the next generation of fighters, including the PAK FA, it will become like a single transceiver locator, providing the pilot with complete information about what is happening around the aircraft.

The PAK FA radar system consists of a promising X-band AFAR in the nose compartment, two side-looking radars, and an L-band AFAR along the flaps.

Today, KRET is also working on creating a radio-photonic radar for the PAK FA. The concern intends to create a full-scale sample of the radar station of the future by 2018.

Photonic technologies will expand the capabilities of the radar - reducing the mass by more than half, and increasing the resolution tens of times. Such radars with radio-optical phased array antennas are capable of taking a kind of “X-ray image” of aircraft located at a distance of more than 500 kilometers and providing them with a detailed, three-dimensional image. This technology allows you to look inside an object, find out what equipment it carries, how many people are in it, and even see their faces.

Technological demonstrator of a promising airborne radar with active phased array "Zhuk-AME". A 50% greater range will be realized thanks to advanced technology manufacturing of transceiver modules based on a low-temperature co-fired ceramic substrate. Thanks to the significantly higher thermal conductivity of the dielectric glass-ceramic substrate, it will be possible to more effectively cool the PPM of this radar, which will increase the power of each module from 5 to 7-8 W

DETAILS OF THE WESTERN COURSE ON UPGRADES OF ONBOARD RADAR SIGHTING COMPLEXES FOR TACTICAL FIGHTER AVIATION

An integral part of the comprehensive modernization of 4th generation tactical fighters to the level of machines with “two pluses” is the integration into their avionics of modern airborne radars with passive and active phased arrays, which always requires the introduction of high-tech digital control interfaces and conversion of information from new BRLCs. Recognized leaders in this area are Russian, American, European, and Chinese aerospace giants, which today are carrying out multi-level modernization of fighters of the Su-30, MiG-29, F-15C, F-16C, J-10B, J-15 families. , as well as the EF-2000 "Typhoon". Let's start with those corporations whose programs have already achieved both the greatest export success and demand among domestic customers, some of whom are involved in work on these contracts. Whatever one may say, the favorite here today is the US company Northrop Grumman, which supplies modern airborne radars to the Lockheed Martin corporation as part of external and internal sales of modernized F-16C/D and updating of F-16A/B modifications.

So, for example, on January 16, 2017, at the facilities of the Taiwanese company Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation in Taichung, an ambitious program was launched to upgrade 144 F-16A/B Block 20 multirole fighters in service with the Taiwanese Air Force to the F-16V level. The contract for modernization work was concluded between the Ministry of Defense of Taiwan and Lockheed Martin on October 1, 2012. It provides for the extensive re-equipment of the F-16A/B with more advanced digital element base, advanced cockpit display equipment, as well as on-board systems, including the airborne AFAR radar AN/APG-83 SABR (with synthetic aperture mode), new large-format LCD MFIs for displaying tactical information, modern high-performance on-board computer and a new integrated electronic warfare station. The successful signing of this contract was facilitated by many years of military-political tension between Taipei and Beijing, which arose due to disagreements over the territorial affiliation of Taiwan. In connection with this situation, the latter’s security department began implementing numerous defense programs to protect against the possible “expansion” of the PRC.

The second customer of a similar package of modernization of its F-16Cs was the Ministry of Defense of Singapore. Despite more or less normal relations with China, the richest city-state of Southeast Asia maintains very close political and defense ties with the United States, Great Britain and Australia, which are among the main participants in the “anti-Chinese axis.” For this reason, Singapore pays maximum attention to the combat potential of its Air Force, which is already armed with 32 heavy tactical fighters of the 4++ generation F-15SG. The vehicles are equipped with a powerful radar with AN/APG-63(V)3 AFAA with a typical target detection range of 165 km, and in terms of overall characteristics they correspond to the Qatari and Arabian modifications of the F-15QA and F-15SA. As for the contract to improve Singapore's F-16C/D, it will upgrade 32 single-seat F-16Cs and 43 double-seat F-16Ds worth $914 million. The third verified customer can be considered the Air Force of the Republic of Korea, which on October 22, 2015 signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to upgrade 134 F-16 Block 32 fighters to the F-16V level in the amount of $2.7 billion. The set of options is similar to the Taiwanese contract. Thus, only Taiwanese, Singaporean and South Korean contracts for the renewal of 353 Falcons are already valued at $7.1 billion, not taking into account the possibility of starting similar works for re-equipping the Air Forces of Poland, Denmark, Turkey, etc. What does the promising radar with AFAR AN/APG-83 SABR provide to the F-16A/B/C/D multirole fighters?

Firstly, this is a significantly greater detection range of air targets: an object with an EPR of 2 m2 can be detected and tracked at a distance of 150-160 km and captured at a distance of about 125 km. They track much smaller targets than the conventional AN/APG-66 airborne slotted array radar. The modern high-performance computing base AN/APG-83 SABR allows each APAA PPM (or groups of PPMs) to operate at its own frequency, simulating a complex radiation pattern in LPI mode (“low signal interception capability”) for outdated Bereza-type open source systems. Also, AFAR has several times higher noise immunity and resolution when scanning water/sea surfaces in synthetic aperture mode (SAR). Although the previous generation station AN/APG-68(V)9 has a SAR mode, its resolution is very mediocre and does not allow classifying small ground targets based on their geometric features.

Secondly, the AN/APG-83 has a much greater throughput (in SNP mode at least 20-30 VTs), a target channel (8 simultaneously fired targets), as well as hardware adaptability for using part of the AFAR transceiver modules as emitters radio-electronic interference. The latter option has also found application in the AN/APG-81 radar of the 5th generation F-35A fighter. Thirdly, like every radar with active AFAR, AN/APG-83 has many times greater reliability (mean time between failures). And even after the failure of part of the PPM, the effectiveness of the station remains at a level that allows it to carry out a combat mission. All AN/APG-83 SABR radars supplied to the external and domestic arms markets are at the EMD initial combat readiness level, which is fully consistent with large-scale production of products.

Similar programs are being carried out by European groups of companies specializing in aerospace technologies. Such programs include the design and testing of the promising Captor-E AFAR radar. The work involves well-known European companies Selex Galileo, Indra Systems and EADS Defense Electronics (Cassidian), united in the Euroradar consortium. The “Captor-E” station is designed specifically to replace the aging ECR-90 “Captor-M” airborne radar systems on part of the EF-2000 “Typhoon” multirole tactical fighters, which are in service with the air forces of European NATO member countries, as well as the air forces of the states of the Arabian Peninsula ; it will also be installed on new modifications of the IPA5/8 machine.

The tactical and technical parameters of the new radar, in comparison with the previous Captor-M, are unique not only in the Typhoon modernization line, but also among the American programs for the implementation of AN/APG-63(V)3 and AN/APG-83 SABR in avionics "Iglov" and "Falkonov". “Captor-E” has a technical feature rare for AFARs: the antenna array sheet is not fixed to a fixed module, but is equipped with a specialized azimuthal rotation mechanism, thanks to which the viewing sector in the azimuthal plane is 200 degrees, which is 80 degrees more than that of the “Raptor” AN/APG-77 radar. The new Captor can “look” into the rear hemisphere, which no known airborne radar with AFAR is capable of today, except for radars with passive phased arrays. Moreover, fighter-type targets (RCS 2-3 m2) will be detected by the Captor-E radar at a distance of 220-250 km, which is currently the best indicator among airborne radars for light multi-role fighters. IN this moment prototypes of this station are being tested on British Typhoons, and their results are quite successful, which in the near future promises Euroradar multi-billion dollar contracts in the European and Asian markets.

The Swedes are not lagging behind in their programs to update their “light aircraft fleet” of front-line fighters. SAAB, for example, in 2008 announced the start of development of a promising 4++ generation fighter JAS-39E Gripen-NG. In addition to the modules of the deeply improved high-speed tactical information exchange system CDL-39, the new fighters will receive a promising airborne radar with ES-05 Raven (pictured) from the Italian company Selex ES. The station will be represented by more than 1000 PPMs, capable of implementing all operating modes known for AFAR, including the creation of energy “gaps” in the radiation pattern in the direction of enemy electronic warfare systems. Similar to the Captor-E radar, the Raven will be equipped with a system for mechanically rotating the antenna array, which will increase its viewing area to 200 degrees, allowing you to “look” 10 degrees into the rear hemisphere of the vehicle, allowing for “over-the-shoulder” shooting. Naturally, the target detection range in this mode will be 3-4 times less due to strong energy losses in the area of the receiving and transmitting aperture of the radar complex. The ES-05 “Raven” airborne radar is capable of detecting a target with an ESR of 3 m2 at a range of 200 km while simultaneously tracking 20 air objects. The station has liquid and air cooling systems.

Behind the Raven radar antenna module (on the upper surface of the nose of the fuselage, in front of the cockpit canopy) you can see the fairing of the Skyward-G optical-electronic sighting system, developed by Leonardo Airborne & Space Systems. According to the information from the advertising sheet, the sensor is bispectral and operates in 2 main infrared ranges of 3-5 microns and 8-12 microns. The first range is shorter wavelength and allows for excellent selection of targets with a low infrared signature against the background of surrounding objects (trees, buildings, relief details); The operating range of this range is not as high as that of the long-wave range. The 8-12 micron range does not have the ability to implement high-quality selection of small targets with a small IR signature, but its range is significantly greater than that of the first.

The optical-electronic sighting system "Skyward-G/SHU" has 4 viewing modes: narrow-angle (8 x 64 degrees), medium-angle (16 x 12.8 degrees), wide-angle (30 x 24 degrees), it implements visualization of the tracked object, as well as a general mode, which covers 170 degrees in the azimuthal plane and 120 degrees in the elevation plane. The power of the air-cooled Skyward-G OPC reaches 400 W. The station tracks up to 200 targets in air-to-surface and air-to-air modes.

MODERNIZATION OF RUSSIAN “TACTICS” OF THE MIG-29 FAMILY: THERE IS DEVELOPMENTS, BUT IMPLEMENTATION “IN HARDWARE” IS DELAYED

As we see, Western corporations are doing relatively well and with constant positive dynamics; and this does not take into account the fact that at least 300 F-16C/D units in service with the US Air Force will be upgraded with new radars, after which these fighters will be completely superior to our MiG-29S/SMT and Su-27SM in long-range air combat. How can we respond to such ambitious US programs? What asymmetric measures is the Russian Ministry of Defense working on to eliminate the dangerous trend of lagging behind the AFARization of combat units of the US Air Force fighter aircraft? These questions are very pressing and belong to the rank of strategic ones.

As you know, on January 27, 2017, an international presentation of the most advanced version of the MiG-35 Fulcrum-F light tactical fighter was successfully held in Lukhovitsy near Moscow. Despite the fact that the car does not belong to the 5th generation, it received special attention from representatives of the American and European media. And this is absolutely not surprising, because the MiG-35 is the only Russian multi-role light fighter capable of gaining complete superiority over the Rafale, Typhoon, F-16C Block 60, F-15SE “Silent Eagle”, F-15SE “Silent Eagle” in long-range air combat. A-18E/F and even any modification of the F-35 Lightning 2. Moreover, according to statements by the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Viktor Bondarev, and information from other sources, approximately 140 of the 170 production MiG-35s will receive a promising airborne radar with active phased array of the Zhuk family. This number of these machines is quite enough to change the balance of forces in one’s favor in any air direction (VN) of the Eastern European theater of operations; and in close air combat the MiG-35 will defeat any NATO multi-role fighter. At the beginning of our previous material, we already said that without taking into account the range, the combat potential of the MiG-35 with promising radars is one step ahead of the heavy Su-30SM: the speed of the Fulcrum is 0.25 M higher (about 2450 versus 2150 km/h) , the afterburner thrust is 11% higher (2647 versus 2381 kgf/m2), which means the MiG’s acceleration qualities are much higher. Moreover, the MiG-35 crew will be able to more quickly and reliably detect suddenly appearing air threats, and then just as quickly eliminate them, which the Su-30SM crew will not be able to do.

The thing is that on the lower surface of the left engine nacelle and on the garrot of the MiG-35 there are high-resolution optical-electronic sensors NS-OAR (for viewing the lower hemisphere) and BC-OAR (for viewing the upper hemisphere), combined into a common detection station SOAR attack missiles, operating in the TV range, and capable of detecting enemy air-launched missiles at a distance of 30 km, and accompanying them at a distance of 5-7 km. This station will transmit the coordinates of threatening missiles to the fighter’s computerized control system, and then to air combat missiles of the R-73RMD-2 or R-77 (RVV-AE) type, capable of intercepting other missiles of a similar class. Also, in addition to the standard OLS-UEM bow optical-electronic sighting system, an overhead container with a turret is installed on the right engine nacelle, in which the OLS-K auxiliary complex is installed, designed for monitoring surface and ground objects in the lower and rear hemispheres. You won’t find such a variety of optical-electronic sighting devices on Sushki today - hence the high interest. In terms of electronic components, the car is close to the 5th generation. But is everything as good as it seems at first glance?

Firstly, 140 MiG-35s with new radars are not the number that will be enough to fully cover all possible theaters of operations near our borders on the Eurasian continent, because in the Far Eastern operational direction alone we can be opposed by: 65 modern tactical fighters of the “4+” generation + "F-2A/B, 42 5th generation F-35A fighters of the Japanese Air Force, as well as several F-22A fighter squadrons deployed at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base, and this is not counting the carrier-based fighter aircraft of the US Navy, which can be transferred in the amount of 3-4 hundred units to the western part of the Pacific Ocean. A similar situation is developing in the northwestern and western ON, where there will be a numerical superiority of the modernized F-16A/B/C/D and Typhoons in service with European countries, as well as the promising F-35A/B, which will be purchased by Norway, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Denmark. The resulting “picture” is that technologically the MiG-35 is equivalent to approximately 2-3 F-16C Block 52+ or 2 Typhoons, but the total number of our MiGs will be 3 - 4 times less than the new fighters of the American allies in Asia-Pacific and Europe, which will not allow not only to achieve dominance, but also to equalize the balance of forces. The issue requires immediate resolution, and it is necessary to act in the same way that Lockheed Martin uses - updating the existing aircraft fleet.

At the moment, the combat units of the Russian Aerospace Forces have about 250 multi-role front-line fighters MiG-29S/M2/SMT and UBT, as well as several hundred vehicles of the “9-12” and “9-13” modifications that are being mothballed. The most advanced modifications among them are the MiG-29SMT different options(“Products 9-17/19/19R”), present in the amount of 44 units, as well as the MiG-29M2. These fighters belong to the “4+” generation and are equipped with N019MP Topaz and N010MP Zhuk-ME airborne radars. The stations are built around a modern digital data exchange bus in the avionics architecture of the MIL-STD-1553B standard and have hardware support for synthetic aperture mode (SAR) with an additional mode for detecting and tracking moving surface/ground targets GMTI (“Ground Moving Target Indicator”) at speeds up to 15 km/h. The functionality of these radars is similar to the American AN/APG-80 and AN/APG-83 SABR stations for the Falcons, but there are significant differences between them. While US products have long been built on the basis of active phased arrays with electronic beam control, our improved Topaz and Zhuk are represented by mechanically controlled slot antenna arrays, which results in such disadvantages as:

- low resolution in the synthetic aperture and moving ground target tracking (GMTI) mode, amounting to 15 meters, while centimeter AFAR radars in a similar mode provide a resolution of 1-5 meters, which is achieved by a large number of individually controlled transceiver modules, capable of forming the most complex spatial configurations of radiation patterns;

Low capacity in terms of the number of routes accompanied by air targets (N019MP and N010MP radars can track no more than 10 air targets on the pass), stations with AFAR can track from 20 to 30 or more targets;

Low target channel, which for the N019MP "Topaz" is only 2 targets simultaneously fired by R-77 (RVV-AE) missiles, and for the N010MP "Zhuk-ME" - no more than 4 targets, while on-board radars with active and passive phased arrays are capable of “capturing” for precise auto tracking and firing simultaneously from 8 to 16 targets;

The impossibility of forming “gaps” in the directional pattern in areas of space in which enemy electronic countermeasures operate, because of this, stations with SAR have extremely low noise immunity from such advanced electronic warfare aircraft as the F/A-18G;

The inability to simultaneously operate in air-sea/ground and air-to-air modes, due to which the pilot and systems operator lose immediate awareness of the tactical situation simultaneously on the ground and air sectors of the theater of operations; AFAR and PFAR have this capability.

Approximately the same list of tactical and technical shortcomings is present today in the “baggage” of our combat MiG-29SMT and MiG-29M2, the number of which in units barely exceeds 50-60 units. Their onboard radar systems “Topaz” and “Zhuk-ME” have the only advantage - increased pulse power, due to which the detection range of targets with an EPR of 3 m2 has increased from 70 to 115 km, which is an excellent increase for a conventional SAR; but this is extremely insufficient for long-range combat with European and American F-16Cs equipped with SABR radar.

Multifunctional airborne radar with slot antenna array (SAR) AN/APG-68(V)9. This station is equipped with the majority of generation 4+ fighters F-16C Block 52+, which are in service with the air forces of Western and Eastern Europe, as well as the Middle East. In long-range air combat mode, the parameters of the AN/APG-68(V)9 are 10-15% higher than the characteristics of the N019MP “Topaz” of our most common LFI MiG-29S: the figure is not so significant, given the presence of medium-range air combat missiles R- 77. At the same time, with regard to air-to-ground missions, the F-16C Block 52+ is head and shoulders above our largest fighter asset of light front-line aviation: the Topazes are deprived of the “ground” operating mode, while the AN/APG-68 (V)9 adapted for terrain mapping

The remaining vehicles of the MiG-29S modification, amounting to just over 100 units, have an even more outdated “stuffing”, built around the SUV-29S weapons control system with an integrated radar sighting system RLPK-29M. This complex is represented by an early version of the N019M Topaz radar, which does not have hardware support for working against ground targets, and also has a standard energy potential that allows it to detect targets with an EPR of 3m2 at a distance of 70 km and “capture” only 2 air targets. The SUV-29S weapons control system is adapted for the use of R-77 air combat missiles, but due to the low capabilities of the N019M radar, the MiG-29S can only be opposed to those F-16C “blocks” that have not undergone the modernization program and carry on board “ old-style slot radar AN/APG-66 with a fighter-type target detection range of about 60-65 km. Even the F-16C/D Block 52+ modification, which the Polish Air Force has, will most likely be too tough for the outdated N019M RLPK of the MiG-29S fighter, especially since the Poles have long acquired a modification of the AMRAAM airborne attack missile with an AIM-120C range increased to 120 km -7, and Poland alone has 48 such F-16Cs.

The conclusion is this: the situation with the perfection of the avionics of the light front-line fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces MiG-29S, and to a certain extent the MiG-29SMT/M2, is truly critical. With all the perfection of the airframe and power plant, which make it possible to win a close air battle against any Western fighter of the 4th and even 5th generations, our production MiGs are absolutely defenseless against any other threat in the modern network-centric theater of operations. Some may argue that this situation can be completely corrected by such machines as the Su-27SM, Su-30SM, and also the Su-35S, but such an opinion is not entirely objective. Heavy tactical fighters, and especially the Su-35S, are more designed to create a powerful air defense line and gain air superiority on distant approaches to the air borders of the state, as well as to escort AWACS aircraft, air command posts, and military transport aircraft from enemy fighters 4- th and 5th generations. They can also successfully carry out long-range anti-ship and anti-radar missions using Kh-31AD and Kh-58USHKE missiles. We don’t have so many of these machines in our arsenal that it would be possible to close all the technological “gaps” observed in the light front-line aviation sector, and especially with the current pace of production of the T-50 PAK-FA.

The issue can be resolved by re-equipping all MiG-29 airborne forces in service with advanced airborne radars developed by Fazatron-NIIR JSC, as well as its subsidiary, the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern. Among the main contenders are the Zhuk-AE and Zhuk-AME multi-channel airborne radars; These products embody the most advanced achievements of the Russian defense industry in the field of AFAR, and therefore, they are already ahead of everything that is used in the N011M "Bars" and N035 "Irbis-E" stations of the Su-30SM and Su-35S multirole fighters, with the exception range.

The procedure for unifying new radars with the control system of more modern MiG-29SMT and MiG-29M2 will take place according to a simplified scheme, since these aircraft were initially developed using a multiplex data bus of the MIL-STD-1553B standard; the same bus with an open architecture forms the basis of the tactical weapons control system MiG-35 fighter. As for the older MiG-29S, this will require a complete replacement of the electronic “core” of fighter control, built around the old Ts101M digital computer, which is not designed to work in conjunction with the digital interfaces of the next generation Zhukov. There is a real chance to radically modernize and “put on the wing” several hundred operational and “mothballed” MiG-29A/S, which will completely eliminate the technical gap of the entire fleet of light front-line aviation from foreign fighters of the “4++” generation. What are the features and advantages of the promising airborne radars Zhuk-AE and Zhuk-AME?

The first, “Zhuk-AE” (FGA-29), has been developed since 2006 on the basis of developments obtained by “Phazatron” during the design of the not very successful early prototype “Zhuk-AME” (FGA-01), which has an prohibitively large mass at 520 kg. The new product widely uses compact and lightweight monolithic integrated circuits(MIS), which today can be found in any modern digital device. The aperture diameter of the Zhuk-AE AFAR was reduced to 500 mm (total diameter - about 575 m), in comparison with the 700 mm FGA-01; this was done to better match the internal diameter of the radio-transparent fairing of the experimental board “154” (MiG-29M2), on which the new station was tested. The FGA-29 canvas is represented by 680 transceiver modules with a power of 5 W each, which is quite enough to achieve a resolution of 50 cm at a range of up to 20 km and 3 m at a range of 30 km in synthetic aperture mode. The pulse power of the station is 34 kW, which makes it possible to detect targets with an EPR of 3 m2 at a distance of up to 148 km in the front hemisphere and up to 60 km in the rear hemisphere (after). “Zhuk-AE” accompanies 30 air targets on the pass and simultaneously captures 6; in close air combat mode, the so-called “Rotary” mode can be used, which operates in synchronization with the helmet-mounted target designation system of the pilot or systems operator.

Experimental radar "Zhuk-AE" (FGA-29) on board a prototype of the promising light multi-role fighter MiG-35

Thanks to individual control of the operating frequencies of individual PPMs (or their groups), as well as a more sensitive and noise-proof converter of those reflected from the target electromagnetic waves, “Zhuk-AE” has a very significant advantage over other airborne radars - there is a slight decrease in the detection range of airborne objects against the background of the earth’s surface, amounting to only 8-11%; for radars with PFAR this figure is about 15-18%, which has been proven in tests The Irbis-E radar operating in a wide viewing sector: a CC with an EPR of 3m2 was detected at a distance of 200 km (against the background free space), and 170 km (against the background of the earth's surface). Even here we can see a noticeable advantage of radars with AFAR.

The high characteristics of the Zhuk-AE are also noted when operating in the air-sea/ground mode: a group of heavy armored vehicles or an artillery battery of self-propelled guns can be detected at a range of 30-35 km, a corvette-class surface ship - 150 km and " destroyer" - more than 200 km. The air-to-surface mode has several dozen submodes, including: synthetic aperture, the ability to “freeze” the terrain map with all detected surface objects, detection and tracking of moving units (GMTI), measurement of the carrier speed in accordance with the displacement speed of stationary objects in fighter coordinate system, following the terrain at transonic speeds, used in the tasks of “breaking through” enemy air defenses. The radar viewing sector is standard for fixed AFAR apertures and is 120 degrees in the azimuth and elevation planes, which is a disadvantage with mobile AFAR stations, for example, “Captor-E”, but the weight of the radar is only 200 kg, which is ideal for modernization light MiG-29S/SMT/M2. The total capabilities of the Zhuk-AE are between the American AN/APG-80 and AN/APG-79 radars, which are equipped with the F-16C Block 60 and F/A-18E/F “Super Hornet”. Modernization of the existing MiG-29S/SMT with Zhuk-AE radars, as well as more advanced optical-electronic systems OLS-UEM and a modern cockpit information field will make it possible to significantly outperform the Polish F-16C Block 52+ and German Typhoons equipped with outdated ones Radar with a slot antenna array. At the same time, the gap from the Typhoons with the Captor-E radar, as well as from the F-35A, will be significant. The MiGs will need an even more powerful onboard radar with an active phased array antenna - the Zhuk-AME.

This station was first presented at the aerospace exhibition “Airshow China-2016” in Zhuhai, China in 2016. The Zhuk-AME transceiver modules are manufactured according to completely new technology, based on three-dimensional ultra-high frequency conductors generated in the LTCC (Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic) process. The birth of a super-strong crystalline structure of conductors occurs as a result of firing a multi-component mixture of special glass, ceramics, as well as special conductor pastes based on gold, silver or platinum, which are added to this mixture in certain proportions. These PPMs have many advantages over standard gallium arsenide elements used in most well-known radars with AFAR (Japanese J-APG-1, “Captor-E”, etc.), and in particular:

- excellent mechanical stability, achieved by a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high elasticity in a wide range of operating temperatures, these qualities are the basis for a long service life of the PPM;

Stable electrical conductivity in all frequency wave ranges, up to the millimeter Ka-band, due to which there is greater stability of APAA operation in several modes at once, including electronic warfare;

The density of the ceramic base of the PPM, manufactured using LTCC technology, ensures the tightness of the conductor elements from the negative influences of the external environment, in other words, Zhuk-AME can continue to operate even if the radio-transparent nose cone of the radar is damaged;

The higher thermal conductivity of the LTCC ceramic substrate, in comparison with organic analogues (4 W/mk versus 0.1-0.5 W/mk, respectively), allows for more efficient cooling of the highest temperature zones of the PPM, especially when using metal heat sinks;

The process of creating such MRP does not require high temperatures firing, only 850-900ºС is enough.

In the case of LTCC technology, low-temperature co-fired ceramic is a low-profile dielectric substrate for platinum, gold or silver X-ray wave emitter/receiver conductors. It is significantly more heat resistant than conventional printed circuit boards from organic compounds and allows you to work with increased energy potential: the Zhuk-AME AFAR receiving and transmitting modules can have a power of about 6-8 W. This led to the fact that the promising Zhuk radar increased the target detection range with an EPR of 3 m2 to approximately 220-260 km, which is comparable to the Captor-E station. According to the statements of the “phasotronists”, the Zhuk-AME was designed both for installation on the “4++” generation fighters MiG-35 and on the MiG-29S/SMT. The antenna module, together with the canvas and cables, has a mass of about 100 kg, which is an unprecedented figure among Western fighters. The station canvas is represented by 960 PPM.

Airborne radar demonstrator "Captor-E"

High-energy, high-resolution operating modes of the Zhuk-AME make it possible to accurately classify sea, land and air objects by their shape and radar signature due to comparison with a loaded reference database of hundreds or even thousands of units. Moreover, target identification can also be made from a short distance when the SAR mode has a resolution of 50 cm, or in the case when the target is radio-emitting. Then a database of frequency patterns of numerous enemy radar systems is used, which can be integrated into the updated software of the modernized MiG-29. The Zhuk can also operate in LPI mode, to complicate the work of enemy electronic warfare systems, or in passive mode - for covert exit and attack on enemy radio-emitting targets, which may include ground-based surveillance or multifunctional radars of anti-aircraft missile systems, and RTR stations and air-based electronic warfare.

To be continued…

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