KLJ-7 Radar

The KLJ-7, also referred to as the Type 1478 is an airborne X-band firecontrol radar developed by the China Electronics Technology Company's (CETC's) No 14 Research Institute, Nanjing Research Institute of Electronic Technology (NRIET).

Development

The KLJ-7 uses a mechanically-steered slotted array antenna and bears similarities with the various Russian radars imported in the 1990s. Russian radar design houses Phazotron and NIIP had worked closely in the past with the Chinese radar design bureaus and provided technical assistance as well as operational models of Russian-made radar sets that were used as benchmarks in the process of these Chinese firms developing their own design. Up to 20 units of the Phazotron Zhemchoug ('Pearl) radar were imported in the mid-1990s for evaluation along with 2 units of Phazotron (NIIR) RP-35, which is the upgraded version of the Zhemchoug.

Capabilities

The KLJ-7 has multiple modes, both beyond-visual-range (BVR) and close-in air-to-air modes, ground surveillance and a robust anti-jamming capability. The radar can reportedly manage up to 40 targets, monitor up to 10 of them in track-while-scan (TWS) mode and simultaneously fire on two BVR targets.

The detection range for targets with a radar-cross section of up to 3 m 2 is 120 km or 50 km in look-down mode. Surface sea targets can be detected at up to 135 km. Target data is displayed on a digital map in the cockpit.

Most modern Chinese air-launched weapons, such as the Luoyang Electro-Optical Equipment Research Institute PL-9C and Leihua Electronic Technology Research Institute SD-10 air-to-air missiles (AAM), are supported by the KLJ-7. However, there are reportedly modes on board to support a range of NATO weaponry, including Raytheon Missile Systems' AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range and AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range AAMs.

References

* Reuben F Johnson, "China's NRIET outlines KLJ-7 fire-control radar details", Jane's International Defence Review January 012008