Raytheon Technologies is set to outfit Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI) FA-50 Light Combat Aircraft with its new PhantomStrike radar.
A fully air-cooled fire-control radar, PhantomStrike is designed to provide long-range threat detection, tracking and targeting. Working with the United States Government, PhantomStrike was approved to be exported as a Direct Commercial Sales product to KAI.
PhantomStrike is a first-of-its-kind, compact active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar that is smaller, lighter and requires less power. It is designed for a wide range of platforms including light-attack aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft, uncrewed aerial vehicles, and ground-based towers.
“Outfitting the FA-50 with the PhantomStrike radar upgrades the capability of a critical aircraft, providing unparalleled performance in a compact, affordable package,” said Annabel Flores, President, Global Spectrum Dominance at Raytheon Technologies. “All while keeping these jets fast, agile and easy to maintain.”
PhantomStrike combines two Raytheon Technologies specialties, a gallium nitride-powered array and the compact high-reliability integrated receiver/exciter processor, or CHIRP, to match the capability of modern AESA radars. The upgrades provide capabilities including digital beam forming and steering, multimode functionality, and interleaved ground and air targeting.
“Threats on the battlefield always evolve, and PhantomStrike makes it possible for KAI to offer high-performance fire control radar capabilities that can integrate with US and international weapon systems, so FA-50 customers maintain air dominance,” added Flores.
Production of the radars will take place in Forest, Mississippi; Tucson, Arizona; and Scotland, with support from Raytheon UK. Initial deliveries are expected in 2025.
