Raytheon Technologies will outfit Korea Aerospace Industries' (KAI) FA-50 Light Combat Aircraft with the new PhantomStrike radar. PhantomStrike is a fully air-cooled fire control radar designed to provide long-range threat detection, tracking and targeting. Working with the U.S. Government, PhantomStrike was approved to be exported as a Direct Commercial Sales product to KAI.
PhantomStrike shown on a rendering of a T-50 aircraft, sister aircraft to the FA-50. Raytheon will provide the PhantomStrike radar to KAI’s FA-50 fleet.
PhantomStrike is a first-of-its-kind, compact AESA radar that is smaller, lighter and requires less power. It is designed for a wide range of platforms including light-attack aircraft, rotary-wing aircraft, uncrewed aerial vehicles and ground-based towers.
"Outfitting the FA-50 with the PhantomStrike radar upgrades the capability of a critical aircraft, providing unparalleled performance in a compact, affordable package," said Annabel Flores, president, Global Spectrum Dominance at Raytheon Technologies. "All while keeping these jets fast, agile and easy to maintain."
PhantomStrike combines two Raytheon Technologies specialties — a gallium nitride-powered array and the compact high-reliability integrated receiver/exciter processor, or CHIRP — to match the capability of modern AESA radars. The upgrades provide capabilities including digital beamforming and steering, multimode functionality and interleaved ground and air targeting.
"Threats on the battlefield always evolve, and PhantomStrike makes it possible for KAI to offer high performance fire control radar capabilities that can integrate with U.S. and international weapon systems, so FA-50 customers maintain air dominance," said Flores.
Production of the radars will take place in Forest, Miss., Tucson, Ariz., and Scotland, with support from Raytheon UK. Initial deliveries are expected in 2025.