Israel
The Israeli Air Force was the first in the Middle East to use radar patrol aircraft in real combat. Israel, having received the E-2C Hawkeye, used them very effectively in 1982 during the armed confrontation with Syria. Four "Hawai", replacing each other, almost around the clock patrolled the airspace in the conflict zone, due to which the situational awareness of ground headquarters and Israeli pilots sitting in the cockpits of fighters was much higher than that of the enemy. In a number of cases, this became the reason for the defeat of the Syrians in air battles and, in general, had a noticeable impact on the course of hostilities.
The Israel Air Force command attached great importance to maintaining a high degree of combat readiness of the existing E-2S. It is indicative that the Israelis were not only the first of the foreign customers to receive the Hokai, but also modernized them even earlier than the US Navy. In the mid-90s, the E-2C with the Stars of David was equipped with equipment for refueling in the air, as well as new radars, information display and communication facilities. The active service of the modernized E-2C Hawkeye in Israel continued until 2002, after which one aircraft took an honorable place in the museum exposition at the Hatzerim airbase, and the three remaining in flight condition were sold to Mexico.
By that time, the Israeli radio-electronic industry had reached not small heights and was quite capable of independently creating the RTK of a long-range radar patrol aircraft. Work on this topic, which began in the first half of the 80s, entered the stage of practical implementation after about 10 years. In 1993, at the Paris Air Show, an AWACS aircraft was publicly presented on the platform of a converted Boeing 707-320В with a Phalcon radio system.
The basis of the Israeli RTK, convened by Israel Aerospace Industries and its subsidiary Elta Electronics Industries, was the EL / M-2075 pulse-Doppler radar with electronic beam scanning. The radar antenna consists of 768 elements, grouped in ring blocks. The AFAR radar elements are located in flat panels along the sides in the front of the fuselage and in the nose cone. In addition to the AFAR radar, the final version of the IAI Phalcon 707 received electronic reconnaissance and radio interception stations EL / L-8312 and EL / K-7031 and a set of modern communications equipment.
The EL / M-2075 radar, operating in the 1215-1400 MHz frequency range, is capable of detecting large high-altitude air targets at a distance of up to 500 km. A target with an EPR corresponding to the MiG-21 fighter flying at an altitude of 5000 meters can be detected at a distance of 350 km. Cruise missiles against the background of the earth are fixed at a distance of 220 km with an accuracy of determining the coordinates of 300 meters. In this case, simultaneous tracking of 100 targets can be carried out. In the flyers presented at the 1993 air show, it was said that the radar could scan in azimuth. However, in practice, viewing of the air and surface situation is usually carried out in the sectors designated by the operator. The maximum update rate of radar information is 2-4 seconds. This high speed was achieved thanks to a combination of electronic beam scanning and high-performance computers.
IAI Phalcon 707
The EL / L-8312 electronic reconnaissance station allows recording the radiation of land-based sea and airborne radars operating in the frequency range 70 - 18000 MHz, and determining their coordinates with high accuracy at a distance of up to 450 km. The EL / K-7031 station provides direction finding and interception of transmitted messages from radio transmitters operating in the 3-3000 MHz range. The aircraft has 11 workstations, a kitchen and crew rest areas. The maximum crew size is 17 people, of which 4 are flight personnel.
Due to the presence on board the IAI Phalcon 707 of a wide range of radio and communication equipment and a large crew, the aircraft can be used as an air command post. For this there is a separate compartment with additional workplaces, and a large projection screen to reflect the operational situation in the theater.
In general, the first Israeli AWACS and U aircraft in terms of its flight data is close to the American E-3 Sentry, also built on the basis of the Boeing 707. With a maximum takeoff weight of 160,800 kg, with 90,800 liters of fuel on board, it can patrol for 10 hours Tactical range - 1200 km. The maximum speed is 853 km / h, the patrol speed is 720 km / h. Patrol altitude - 8000 m.
IAI Phalcon 707 Chilean Air Force
The directories indicate that two passenger Boeing 707s were converted into the AWACS and U version in Israel. In 1995, one IAI Phalcon 707 was transferred to the Chilean Air Force under a $ 450 million contract. Unlike the first prototype, which was tested in Israel, the Chilean aircraft is equipped with a wider range of avionics and an air refueling system.
Satellite image of Google Earth: aircraft DROLO and U EB-707 Condor next to the military transport C-130H at the International Airport "Nuevo Pudael"
In the Chilean Air Force, the IAI Phalcon 707 received the designation EB-707 Condor. Its permanent base is the Nuevo Pudael dual-use airfield in the vicinity of Santiago. KS-135 tankers, transport and passenger Boeing 767, Boeing 737, military transport С-130Н are also located here on a permanent basis.
The EB-707 Condor is formally a member of the Air Force. However, judging by satellite images, it has been idle more on the ground in the past 10 years. So, from January 2003 to June 2011, the only Chilean AWACS aircraft spent most of the time, with its nose buried in the maintenance hangar.
Google Earth satellite image: Chilean Air Force EB-707 Condor is half placed in a maintenance hangar
In the past, on the basis of the Israeli RTK Phalcon for the PLA Air Force, it was supposed to create a Russian-Israeli AWACS and U A-50I aircraft. However, the United States opposed this, and the deal was canceled. Nevertheless, the developments on the Chinese order were used in the design of a radar patrol aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The Il-76MD with PS-90A-76 engines was also used as a platform. Initially, the Russian side refused to supply the Il-76MD prepared for the installation of the RTK without the Shmel radar. But after India expressed its intention to purchase Boeing 767 or Airbus A310 aircraft, Russia made concessions.
A-50EI Indian Air Force
The basis of the RTK of the Indian AWACS aircraft was the EL / W-2090 radar. Unlike the Israeli-Chilean IAI Phalcon 707, the A-50EI radar antennas are placed in a non-rotating disc-shaped fairing with a diameter of 12 meters. Flat antenna arrays with electronic beam scanning, 8.87 m long and 1.73 m high, are arranged in the form of an isosceles triangle. One AFAR consists of 864 active transmit-receive modules, which electronically scan the beam in two planes. Three AFARs with a 120-degree field of view each provide all-round visibility, without mechanical rotation of the fairing. According to Israeli experts, such a scheme greatly simplifies the design of the antenna radome and reduces weight.
Work on the A-50EI project began in 2001, after the Russian-Israeli working group reached an agreement on joint work. The cost of the contract in 2004 for the aircraft was $ 1, 1 billion, while approximately 2/3 of the cost is Israeli equipment. During the design, the specialists were faced with the task of interfacing the Israeli radar complex with Russian data transmission equipment. The contract stated that the transfer of the first aircraft was to take place in 2006, and the last in 2009.
Elta EL / M-2090 radar operates in the range of 1280-1400 MHz. The frequency range of the radar is divided into 22 operating frequencies. The maximum detection range of air targets at medium altitudes is 450 km. In the upper part of the radar fairing of the A-50EI aircraft, a triangle is drawn, corresponding to the location of the AFAR flat panels.
On the A-50EI, an electronic reconnaissance station has been installed, which has expanded capabilities compared to the equipment of a similar purpose on the IAI Phalcon 707 aircraft. The equipment of the RTK of the Indian machine is capable of detecting, recognizing and determining the coordinates of radars and air defense missile guidance stations at a distance of up to 500 km in the frequency range 0, 5-40 GHz. The direction to the radiation source is calculated interferometrically using four antennas located at the wingtips, in the nose and tail of the aircraft. The received data is correlated with radar information, which increases the reliability and probability of object recognition. Sorting of received signals by frequency, coordinates and media type is performed automatically. The automatic recognition database stores the characteristics of up to 500 types of radar sources. The operator of the electronic intelligence station selects the most relevant of the received signals.
The Indian AWACS and U A-50EI aircraft became a truly international project, in addition to the Israeli Elta and TANTK them. G. M. Beriev in the creation of a radio technical complex was accepted by the European company Thales, which supplied the equipment of the "friend or foe" system. The identification of the belonging of the targets detected by the radar occurs by sending a coded request signal and analyzing the response signal. If the object is identified as "our", individual identification is carried out with the determination of the side number of the aircraft or ship. In this case, on the monitors displaying information "own" object is displayed with a special mark.
According to a number of foreign experts, the Indian A-50EI radar characteristics roughly correspond to the Chinese KJ-2000, but at the same time it has more advanced data transmission equipment and surpasses the capabilities of the radio intelligence station.
Satellite image of Google Earth: A-50EI aircraft at the Palam airbase
A-50EI of the Indian Air Force regularly participate in major aviation and navy exercises. During the aggravation of the situation on the Indian-Pakistani border in September 2016, radar patrol aircraft under the cover of Su-30MKI fighters patrolled the area. The main location of Indian AWACS and U aircraft is the Palam airbase, one and a half hundred kilometers south of Delhi. At the airbase, where the Il-76MD military transport and Il-78MKI tankers are also based, large hangars for routine repair and maintenance have been erected, there is a capital runway with a length of 3300 m and a large parking area. Currently, the Indian leadership is considering the acquisition of three more AWACS aircraft with an improved RTK on the Il-76MD-90A platform.
The experience gained during the creation of the IAI Phalcon 707 and A-50EI allowed Israeli developers to start designing AWACS and U aircraft for their own needs. In the late 90s, the Israeli Air Force command expressed interest in purchasing nationally developed radar patrol vehicles. Since the territory of the country is very small, and financial opportunities are limited, it was considered possible to create an AWACS aircraft based on a relatively small and lightweight platform. At the same time, if necessary, the new multi-functional aircraft should have been able to patrol and collect information for 8-10 hours.
In the early 2000s, Gulfstream Aerospace, Lockheed Martin and IAI Elta formed a consortium to create a promising radar patrol aircraft. A fairly compact twin-engine jet aircraft of the Gulfstream G550 business class was chosen as an aviation platform. At that time, it was the newest businessjet, in which the most advanced achievements of civil aviation were implemented. So, at the very beginning of sales for advertising purposes, the aircraft made several record-breaking flights. One of the first was a non-stop flight with a total length of 13,521 km, from Seoul (Republic of Korea) to Orlando (USA, Florida). These high results were achieved thanks to the use of Rolls-Royce BR 710 engines, which have high fuel efficiency and provide a cruising speed of 850 km / h. The maximum speed is 926 km / h. It is worth saying that the Gulfstream G550 was not the first aircraft of its class to be used as a platform for converting into a radar reconnaissance aircraft. The UK has adopted the Sentinel R1, powered by Bombardier's Global Express platform, before Israel.
G550 CAEW
The basis of the RTK of the American-Israeli aircraft, designated G550 CAEW (English Conformal Airborne Early Warning and Control), was radar with AFAR EL / W-2085 (a modernized and lightweight version of EL / M-2075). Just like on the IAI Phalcon 707, flat radar antennas are mounted on the sides in the middle of the fuselage. Auxiliary antennas are located in the bow and aft to create circular radar coverage. Large side antennas operate in the 1 GHz - 2 GHz range, while the bow and tail antennas operate in the 2 GHz - 4 GHz range. Also, a meteorological radar and an electronic warfare equipment antenna are installed in the front hemisphere. Antennas of the passive electronic reconnaissance system are mounted under the wingtips.
According to the information announced by the manufacturer IAI, the EL / W-2085 radar is capable of detecting air targets at a range of up to 370 km. However, it is not clear about the objects with which EPR we are talking, and the parameters of detection against the background of the earth are also not disclosed. It is known that the radar of the G550 CAEW aircraft can simultaneously track up to 100 targets, and the communication equipment allows to issue target designation in an automated mode at the same time to more than 12 interceptors and air defense systems. The advantage of the EL / M-2075 type station is the high speed of information update, this happens every 2-4 seconds, which increases the accuracy of coordinate measurement, especially when working on high-speed targets. On radar systems with a rotating radar antenna, this parameter is 10-12 seconds. The radar has several modes of operation: target detection, tracking and identification with a long pulse time. Once the target is prioritized, the radar switches to a high-speed scan mode optimized for accurate target measurements.
In addition to the radar, the G550 CAEW has electronic reconnaissance equipment, but its capabilities and characteristics are not disclosed. It is said that the RTR station, along with the electronic warfare equipment, is part of the aircraft's self-defense system. This system also includes: a container with dipole reflectors and IR traps and means of controlled countermeasures of the seeker of heat-seeking missiles. Apparently, in this case we are talking about a combination of an approaching missile detection system and laser countermeasures.
The G550 CAEW is equipped with multifunctional multi-frequency communications equipment that operates in both analog and digital modes. Communication facilities allow you to interact with the headquarters and command posts of various types of troops, maintain communication with air force aircraft, naval ships and army ground units. For this, protected HF, VHF and satellite channels are intended. The antenna of satellite communications equipment operating in the 12.5-18 GHz range is located in the fairing above the vertical tail of the aircraft.
The first flight of the G550 CAEW, assembled at the American Gulfstream facility in Savannah, Georgia, took place in May 2006. After the flight, the aircraft was handed over to the Israeli company IAI Elta Systems Ltd, and soon work began on it to install special equipment. Compared to the G550 business jet, CAEW has become somewhat heavier, its maximum take-off weight is 42,000 kg, while 23,000 liters of fuel can be taken on board, which provides a flight range of more than 12,000 km. The aircraft is capable of conducting continuous patrols for 9 hours, at a distance of 200 km from its airfield. It is reported that work is currently underway to equip the Israeli G550 CAEW with an air refueling system.
Conversion of the original Gulfstream G550 into the AWACS version required a radical redevelopment of the cabin, laying hundreds of kilometers of cable, installing two additional power generators and a liquid cooling system for the equipment. Much attention was paid to the working conditions of RTK operators. On board, in addition to 6 workstations, there are rest areas, a buffet and a toilet. To display information received from the radar and electronic intelligence station, modern color liquid crystal panels are used.
Operator Station G550 CAEW
Since mid-2008, the Israeli Air Force has been in service with three G550 CAEWs, also known as Nahshon-Eitam. All Israeli radar patrol and ground-based radar reconnaissance aircraft, according to data published on the Flightglobal.com website, are based at the Nevatim airbase near the city of Beer Sheva.
Aircraft AWACS and U with the Israeli RTK enjoy some success in the foreign market. Although the G550 CAEW is inferior to the AWACS system and the Russian A-50 in terms of the detection range of air targets, the strength of the American-Israeli machine is the use of a modern economical aviation platform based on a civilian business-class airliner. A few years ago, the Israeli G550 CAEW participated in a major US Air Force exercise in New Mexico and has shown good results. The Americans were especially impressed by the capabilities of the electronic warfare station, which effectively suppressed the radar of the "enemy" fighters. In terms of comfort and working conditions for RTK operators, the Israeli AWACS aircraft significantly surpasses the American Hawkeye.
In the first half of 2009, Singapore received 4 G550 CAEWs. At the same time, the transaction amount exceeded $ 1 billion. After the Israeli Air Force chose the Italian M-346 Master for the role of the jet trainer, Italy, in turn, announced the purchase of two G550 CAEW aircraft. The cost of early warning radar systems for the Italian Air Force is $ 758 million. The delivery of the first aircraft took place on December 19, 2016. The US Navy has expressed a desire to purchase one G550 CAEW without an electronic reconnaissance station and electronic warfare equipment. Apparently, this aircraft is intended to replace the only remaining E-9A Widget in service. Operation of the E-9A Widget aircraft began in the late 80s, they were actively used in various tests of missile and aviation technology. Other countries are also showing interest in the Israeli AWACS aircraft: for example, in 2014, Colombia was negotiating for the supply of these machines on credit.
Almost simultaneously with the creation of the AWACS and U G550 CAEW aircraft in Israel, work began on the G550 SEMA (Special Electronic Missions Aircraft) ground-based radar reconnaissance aircraft. As in the case of the G550 CAEW, IAI Elta Systems Ltd. was the main developer of the radio complex.
G550 SEMA
According to information published on Gulfstream.com, the main reconnaissance tool of the Israeli G550 SEMA is the EL / I-3001 AISIS radio complex. The RTK antenna is installed in a canoe-shaped fairing in the front lower part of the fuselage. This antenna arrangement is typical for ground-based reconnaissance radars. Also, the aircraft is equipped with radio intercept equipment and a reconnaissance complex capable of identifying and determining the coordinates of operating radars at a great distance. In addition to the RTK, onboard there are computing facilities for processing intelligence information, equipment for data transmission lines, a satellite communication system and personal protective equipment for the aircraft.
The flight data of the G550 SEMA practically does not differ from the G550 CAEW. Maximum speed at an altitude of 10,000 - 960 km / h. Patrol speed 850 km / h. Practical range - 11800 km. The crew is 12 people, including 10 RTK operators.
The first SEMA G550, designated Nakhshon Shavit in Israel, was handed over to the Air Force in 2005. A year later, this aircraft reached operational readiness and took part in the 2006 Lebanon War. At the moment, the Israeli Air Force has three G550 SEMA electronic reconnaissance aircraft.
India has signed a contract for the supply of three radar and electronic reconnaissance aircraft for ground targets from an Israeli-made RTK based on the Canadian business jet Bombardier 5000. This aircraft, which is a direct competitor to the Gulfstream G550, is somewhat inferior to the Gulfstream in flight range. But at the same time, the Canadian-made aircraft is much cheaper, which, apparently, became the determining factor for the Indians.
Israeli AWACS and radar reconnaissance aircraft are actively used in various operations, supporting the F-15 and F-16 combat aircraft. Israeli radar reconnaissance aircraft have been deployed against Lebanon and Syria on several occasions in the past. The long duration of the flight of radar and electronic reconnaissance aircraft on the Gulfstream G550 platform allows for long-distance raids without refueling in the air. So, on September 6, 2007, the G550 CAEW and G550 SEMA aircraft supported a group of F-15I fighter-bombers that destroyed the Syrian nuclear facility in the Deir el-Zor area. At the same time, the AWACS and U aircraft not only controlled the airspace on the route, but also put very powerful interference with radars and suppressed radio communications themselves. The flight route to the target was partially laid through the territory of Turkey, which subsequently caused diplomatic complications (more details here: Operation "Orchard").
Just like the G550 CAEW, the G550 SEMA aircraft are actively promoted to the foreign market. But so far, the radio reconnaissance vehicles have not managed to surpass the achievements of the AWACS and U. To date, it is known that only the Australian Air Force ordered two G550 SEMA. The cost of the contract for the supply of avionics is $ 93.6 million. The Israeli RTK equipment will be installed on the Guflfstream G550 at the Communications plant in Greenville. All work should be completed by the end of 2017.
As you know, Israel is one of the world leaders in the development of military drones. In 1994, the IAI Heron (Machatz-1) UAV took off. Subsequently, this middle-class device was adopted not only in the Israeli Air Force, but was supplied to 12 countries.
UAV Heron
Initially, the drone was equipped with an air-cooled piston engine with a power of 115 hp. With this engine, the maximum speed of the drone weighing about 1200 kg was 207 km / h, and the range was 350 km. During the demonstration of its capabilities, the device was in the air for 52 hours, but in a real combat situation with a load of reconnaissance equipment on board, the flight time is much shorter. Patrol speed from 110 to 150 km / h, maximum flight altitude 9000 meters. The total payload weight on board the Heron UAV can exceed 250 kg.
UAV control panel Heron
"Heron" is equipped with a very sophisticated multiple-duplicated remote control system via satellite channel or radio link from a ground station. If control is lost, the device goes into offline mode. At the same time, he is able to independently collect intelligence information and return to the point of departure.
The reconnaissance equipment set includes a wide range of optoelectronic sensors and an EL / M-2022U radar with a detection range of up to 200 km. Elta's radar is capable of detecting ground, sea and air targets. The onboard radar equipment weighs a little more than 100 kg, the transmission of radar information to the ground processing point is carried out in real time. However, due to the impossibility of digital processing on board and the limited bandwidth of the data transmission channel, the number of simultaneously tracked targets is not large. One drone is capable of tracking no more than six targets at a time. In addition, in comparison with the radar of the AWACS aircraft, the number of radar frequencies is several times less, which reduces the noise immunity. Field tests have shown that due to a number of limitations, the drone is not yet capable of serving as a platform for effective air control. At the same time, the radars installed on Israeli drones performed well in reconnaissance of ground-based camouflaged targets and patrolling the sea area. With the help of an unmanned radar, it is possible to monitor the movement of vehicles at night or in adverse weather conditions, when detection by traditional optical means is difficult.
Five years ago, the Heron was the best-selling Israeli UAV. According to MilitaryFactory.com, the Israeli Air Force has ordered about 50 Heron drones. They were also supplied to Azerbaijan, Australia, Brazil, India, Canada, Morocco, Singapore, USA, Turkey, Germany and Ecuador. In France, on the basis of the Israeli UAV, vehicles known as the Eagle or Harfang are being built. The export value of the Heron UAV with a set of reconnaissance equipment and a ground control center is $ 10 million.
Israeli-made drones with radars on board have been repeatedly used in hostilities. They were very actively used during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip in 2008-2009. Australian Heron UAVs monitored the movement of Taliban vehicles at night, and French vehicles conducted reconnaissance during the preparation of French Air Force operations in Libya and Mali.
Since the mid-90s, the onboard equipment of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Heron family has been repeatedly modernized, and the appearance of the latest modifications is very different from the original sample.
Super Heron UAV on display at the Singapore International Airshow
In February 2014, a significantly improved version of the Super Heron was shown at the Singapore International Air Show. The new drone is equipped with a 200 hp diesel engine. and radar for high-resolution imaging from high altitudes and in poor weather conditions. The development of the Heron family was the heavy UAV Eitan (Heron TP) with a 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A turboprop engine.
UAV Eitan
This very large drone weighing about 5000 kg and a wingspan of 26 meters is capable of carrying a payload of up to 2000 kg. In addition to optoelectronic surveillance systems and a laser rangefinder-target designator, a synthetic aperture radar antenna is installed in the lower part of the fuselage. The device is able to hang in the air for about 70 hours and cover a distance of more than 7500 km. The maximum speed is 370 km / h, the ceiling is more than 14,000 meters.
The Eitan UAV was first introduced to the general public on October 8, 2007 at Tell Nof Air Force Base, where it is in service with the 210th Unmanned Squadron. UAVs Eitan took part in Operation Cast Lead and were used in strikes against convoys carrying weapons for Hamas in Sudan.
In the 21st century, based on the successful American experience of operating balloon radar posts, Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd created the EL / I-330 MPAS (Multi-Payload Aerostat System) balloon reconnaissance and patrol system.
In addition to optoelectronic surveillance equipment, an American-made TCOM 32M balloon is equipped with a phased array radar. The balloon is 32 meters long, capable of lifting a payload weighing up to 225 kg into the air and being on duty at an operating altitude of 900 meters for 15 days. A mobile platform is used to transport and lift the device into the air. The received data is transmitted to the ground control point via fiber optic cable. The cable length is 2700 meters. The satellite image clearly shows that the balloon was blown away by the wind from the launch point for more than 1 km.
Google Earth Satellite Image: Radar Watch Balloon in the Negev Desert
According to the information presented on the IAI website, the radar installed on the balloon is capable of detecting low-altitude air targets at a distance much greater than ground-based radars. It is reported that balloons in the past have been deployed on the border with the Gaza Strip, and more recently, a radar balloon, which is part of the missile defense system, can be observed near an Israeli nuclear facility near the city of Dimona.
