Weeks after India received its first of the 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, open-source satellite imagery revealed the presence of a high-tech radar system – the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation’s (CETC) JY-27A – at the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) M. M. Alam airbase in Mianwali.
According to CETC, the JY-27A radar has the ability to detect low-observable (LO) or ‘stealth’ aircraft, including the French Dassault Rafale jets, at long-range. While its range is not yet revealed, military observers pegged its capability at roughly 500 km (310 miles).
In addition, the JY-27A is resistant to jamming and also provides situational awareness of incoming ballistic missiles.
Jane’s reported that imagery examination indicates the radar arrived between Jun 5 and Aug 29 and was not yet fully erected as of Sept 2.
Revealed at the 2016 Zhuhai Air Show, the system was advertised as VHF (very high frequency) radar, which offers 3-D electronic-scanning in azimuth and elevation.
Given the long-range detection capabilities of the radar, it would follow that Pakistan could procure a long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) from its all-weather ally. Pakistan had, reportedly, expressed interest in three or four FD-2000 (i.e., the export variant of the HQ-9) long-range SAM systems from China.
pakistantoday
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