Introduction
Recent tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, have heightened the risk of military escalation, with air forces playing a pivotal role due to the strategic importance of air superiority. Incidents such as the 2019 Balakot airstrike and subsequent aerial skirmishes underscore the potential for air battles, where advanced fighter jets like India’s Dassault Rafale and Pakistan’s PAC JF-17C could engage in beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat. The Rafale, equipped with the RBE2-AA AESA radar, and the JF-17C, fitted with the KLJ-7A AESA radar, represent cutting-edge technologies tailored for such high-stakes scenarios. These active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars provide superior beam agility, electronic counter-countermeasure (ECCM) capabilities, and multi-target tracking, making them critical for BVR engagements. This report analyzes the radar performance of the RBE2-AA and KLJ-7A, focusing on material composition, T/R module count, nose size constraints, and their implications for BVR combat effectiveness, using non-Indian open-source information to ensure objectivity.
Radar System Specifications
Rafale: RBE2-AA AESA Radar
The Rafale’s RBE2-AA, developed by Thales, uses Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) for its T/R modules, with approximately 838 modules per unit [1]. Operational since 2012, it supports multi-role operations (air-to-air, air-to-ground, air-to-sea) with a detection range of over 150 km for a 3m² radar cross-section (RCS) target [Web1]. Integrated with the SPECTRA electronic warfare (EW) system, it offers jamming and low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) capabilities and supports the Meteor missile (range >150 km) [Web2].
JF-17C: KLJ-7A AESA Radar
The JF-17C’s KLJ-7A, developed by NRIET, features over 1,000 T/R modules made of Gallium Nitride (GaN) [2]. It can track multiple targets and engage several simultaneously, with an estimated detection range of 170 km for a 5m² RCS target [Web3]. The radar supports the PL-15 BVR missile (range 200–300 km) and includes ECCM capabilities. Variants include a mechanically repositioned model and one with auxiliary lateral arrays for a wider field of view [Web3].
