The “Silk Road Eye” active phased array airborne early warning (AEW) radar, developed by the 14th Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), will make its debut at AirShow China 2018, the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition that will be held from November 6 to 11 in Zhuhai, a coastal city in south China’s Guangdong Province.

New "Silk Road Eye" AEW&C aircraft to be unveiled at Zhuhai Airshow featuring new APAR technology, developed by CETC No. 14 Institute. (Picture source Twitter Isotakeru)

Silk Road Eye airborne early warning radar is a new product with strong competitiveness, which is launched by 14 Institutes of China Electrical Engineering with an eye to future war development. Compared with the early model, its radar array uses a new active phased array technology.

An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar picket system designed to detect aircraft, ships and vehicles at long ranges and perform command and control of the battle space in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack aircraft strikes. AEW&C units are also used to carry out surveillance, including over ground targets and frequently perform C2BM (command and control, battle management) functions similar to an Air Traffic Controller given military command over other forces.

When used at altitude, the radar on the aircraft allows the operators to detect and track targets and distinguish between friendly and hostile aircraft much farther away than similar ground-based radar. Like ground-based radar, it can be detected by opposing forces, but because of its mobility, it is much less vulnerable to counter-attack.