LIG Nex1 Begins Flight Test of AESA Radar for FA-50

27 Desember 2024

ESR-500A AESA radar (photos: LIG Nex1)

[Seoul Economic TV] LIG Nex1 announced on the 20th that it has begun flight testing the air-cooled AESA radar for the FA-50, the 'ESR-500A', in cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Center. It has been about five months since the 'MOU for cooperation on flight tests of the FA-50 air-cooled AESA radar' was signed at the '2024 Farnborough Air Show' in July.

In this flight test, LIG ​​Nex1 plans to further increase the perfection and reliability by repeatedly conducting test flights applying various scenarios. Through intensive tests for two years until 2026, it will verify whether it has performance that meets various requirements such as detection and tracking of air, ground, and sea targets, maximum detection range, and simultaneous operation mode.

The AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar guarantees combat power that is 3 to 4 times higher than the mechanical radar mounted on the existing T/FA-50. Depending on the type of cooling device that controls heat generation due to high performance, it is divided into air-cooling and water-cooling types. The air-cooling type is more suitable for light attack aircraft as it can reduce volume and weight compared to the water-cooling type. Upon completion of the test, conditions will be established to mount the air-cooled AESA radar on the FA-50.

NLR, a Dutch state-run research institute with a history of approximately 100 years, mainly cooperates with the Royal Netherlands Air Force and has secured specialized technologies in aerospace research and development, various maintenance, and test evaluation. For this flight test, NLR mounted ESR-500A on its test aircraft (Cessna Citation II, PH-LAB).

Malaysia could be the first export customer for FA-50 equipped with AESA radar (photo: EDR Magz)

The 'ESR-500A', the first domestic air-cooled AESA radar for the FA-50 developed by LIG Nex1, electronically controls approximately 500 transmit/receive modules to provide faster beam steering, expanded area detection capability compared to existing ones, and multi-mission capability through simultaneous operation mode. Accordingly, simultaneous engagement with multiple targets is also possible.

If the ESR-500A is mounted on the FA-50, it is expected to greatly contribute to expanding overseas markets such as securing price competitiveness and diversifying export countries. In addition, it is expected to become an excellent example of K-defense exports through overseas market conquest through cooperation between domestic mission equipment and platform companies. 

(Sentv)