KJ-2000 “MAINRING”

The KJ-2000 “Mainring”, according to NATO designation, is a Chinese development to cover its demand for an AEW&C aircraft by failing the joint agreement by China, Israel and Russia, to develop a new aircraft based on the Ilyushin IL-76 called A-50I. The radar must be a new version of the same installed in the B-707 Phalcon in service with the Israel Air force, but the problem arose when the US government pressured Israel not to provide the basis radar for the project, which Israel accepted, withdrawing in 2000. Then, China decided to mount its own radar on an IL-76 Candid airframe and continued with the project. The radar is a phased array (PAR) type, and is mounted inside a 14 meters circular radome that does not rotate, like majority of the AEW&C systems. This system is based on the assembly of three PAR systems in a triangular layout covering 360º over the horizon. The radar is supplied by the NII company, (Nanjing Electronic Technology Research Institute), and can track and detect over a hundred surface and aerial targets at 470 km maximum distance.

KJ-2000 gallery and more info