Artist impression of IAI’s ELM-2052 radar. (Photo: IAI) Theme: Light Figthers MT 2/2023 · 25 100kg of the mechanical Grifo-346 used in the M-346FA light fighter (maximum ramp weight 10,500kg). Thanks to its 600 T/R modules, Grifo-E can track 24 targets (track-while-scan mode) and detect fighter-sized targets at up to 160km, while Grifo-346 tracks 10 targets (track-while-scan) and detect targets at more than 90km. Another GaN-AESA radar is the less-than-45kg-weight Raytheon Phantom Strike. It is proposed for light attack and trainer aircraft – could it be a contender to equip the new USAF combat trainer? In-service and scheduled radars The most capable AESA radar currently installed on a light fighter is the GaAs-based Leonardo Raven ES-05, designed for and used in the currently most capable light/medium fighter, the Saab JAS 39E/F less power and provide more heat resistance. They would enable the radar’s frequency range to be larger and the radar to be more reliable and efficient. Saab has test flown an AESA radars using GaN semi-conductors in its JAS-39D Gripen medium sized fighter. The JAS-39C/D (maximum take-off weight 14,000kg) currently uses Saab‘s 150kg-PS-05/A Mk4 non-AESA (mechanical) radar but Saab has announced that it can produce a PS-05/A Mk4 GaN-based AESA radar that can be offered as an upgrade option for the JAS 39C/D. It would be more capable against small targets, have better Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM), and support more advanced weapons. Quite light GaN-based AESA radars have been produced. One is the Leonardo Grifo-E, an improvement of the mechanical Grifo-series radar. It is expected to weigh 105kg to 160kg, depending on the antenna size. This compares with the less than Anil Raj writes on military aircraft and aviation, with a particular interest in the human-technology relation. Best sellers in the market More than 450 Grifo-family X-band radars have been sold worldwide. According to Leonardo figures they have flown 150.000 hours. The main difference amongst the numerous versions is the size of the antenna, which can be adapted to the nose of the aircraft to furbish. In 1990s, Grifo-M and Grifo-L have been installed onboard 40 Pakistani Mirage III/EA and 74 Czech Aero Vodochody L-159, respectively. Later in 2015, 25 L-159s have been sold to the Iraqi Air Force. Further 24 are operated by U.S. private contractor Draken International, which uses them in the role of aggressors for training duties. Both operators deem their Grifo radars valid, still. A noticeably light variant has been installed onboard 160 Pakistani Chengdu F-7PG while the most powerful version (Grifo-S) in onboard JF-17s. Therefore, Pakistan is the main user, with 200+ systems sold. The Grifo-F variant is in service with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) as part of an upgrade offered by Israeli firm Elbit. In the 2001-2013 period, Grifo has been installed as upgrade on 46 Brazilian Northrop F-5 E/F (with further 11 purchased afterward). Leonardo claims that the version sold to Brazil has comparable performance with the U.S. APG-68(v)9 radar. A study conducted in 2003 confirms that Grifo-S is compatible by design with JF-17 and F-16 fighters. In 2006 the Grifo-F/H version is specifically conceived and installed on 30 South Korean HH-60Ps for CSAR operations. This sales record provides Leonardo with a first potential market for upgrades. According to the company, all customers mounting the Grifo-S version can upgrade their systems to Grifo-346 or Grifo-E standard. Grifo-EVO (a powerful subversion of Grifo-S) has been ordered by an unknown Southeast Asian client in 16 examples (plus maintenance and spare parts packages) before evolving in the 346 (mechanically scanned) and E (AESA) models. Leonardo proposes both a mechanically scanned version and an electronically scanned version because of the composition of the marketplace. For old or too small aircrafts an AESA antenna would be not cost effective. In some cases, available power onboard is not sufficient. Leonardo (but also other producers) deem that mechanically scanned radars still have a market for the next 10 years. The current AESA antenna, instead, is thought and compatible for the nose of the M-346 aircraft and similarly sized fighters. Bigger antennas would not imply further redesign efforts. Instead, smaller antennas would require a new engineering phase to adapt the system to the aircraft. A “repositioner” for the AESA antenna (like on Captor-E or PS-05) can be integrated at the client’s requests. Leonardo is working on a very small version for small training aircraft or for pod-mounting. The Grifo family is reportedly compatible with Elbit, Sagem, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman hardware. Israeli radars in this segment are best sellers as well. ELM-2032 and ELM-2052 X-band fire control radars are special products built around ITAR-free Israeli proprietary technology. Both systems can be considered agnostic, a value added to fit any aircraft. The ELM-2032 is operational in Brazil (A-4), Chile (F-5), Ecuador (Kfir and Cheetah), Romania (Mig-21), Thailand (F-5), and Turkey (F-4 2020 Terminator). The community of users includes also countries operating the KAI TA/ FA-50 light training and fighting aircraft (the T-50 version has no radar or mounts US APG-67), namely South Korea and Indonesia. India is a former operator, as the ELM-2032 was onboard its Sea Harriers as well as a current operator, with four examples equipping HAL Tejas prototypes. The ELM-2052 follows the same evolutionary philosophy of Leonardo’s radars. It is the latest evolution of the ELM-2032 family, improved through the adoption of an AESA antenna. The antenna size depends on customers’ needs. Typically, it is offered in the 300, 500, and 1500 TRMs versions (some sources report 1100-1150). The latter has never been installed. For what concerns specifications, ELM-2052 weights 80kg to 180kg (depending on the kind and size of the antenna), with an instrumental range of 80km to 200km - and beyond, according to some sources. To date, the ELM-2052 version is already operational with two military operators and one civil operator. Up to 58 examples in the 300 TRMs version would have been delivered for refurbishing India’s JAGUAR M/S. Further 74 examples might come (unconfirmed). The radar has been selected also for equipping 83 TEJAS MK.1A in the 500 TRMs version (along with ELL-8222WB jamming pods). Further 9 examples of the 300 or 500 TRMs version have been delivered to Colombia as upgrade for its IAI KFIR combat aircraft. Surprisingly, the ELM-2052 has been installed also onboard ten BAE Hawk MK.67 belonging to Air USA (with some nose modifications), a US private contractor specialized in military combat readiness training and Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT). They are the first AESA radars in service with a private operator! In the field of modernizations, IAI aims at third and fourth generation fighters as well as at current users of the ELM-2032 version. In that case, the ELM-2032 does not necessarily require to be replaced, which means that it can be transformed by replacing the antenna and minor components. Marco Giulio Barone f
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