KJ-600: The Eye in the Sky for China’s Future Carriers
Assessing what we know so far about China’s fixed-wing carrier-based airborne early warning and control (AEWC) aircraft.The similar configuration between the KJ-600 and E-2, is undeniable, but this is not particularly scandalous. Imitation usually means they just haven't been able to come up with a better idea. After all, the same basic configuration was arguably first fielded by Northrop Grumman in the E-1 in the mid-1950s, who refined it to its present E-2 form in the 1960s. It was also investigated and developed in the late cold war by Yakolev in the form of the Yak-44, before Xi’an adopted the configuation in 2020. Such parallels are fairly common throughout aviation history, seen in aircraft such as the B-1 and Tu-160; the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families (including modern variants); a number of stealth fighter aircraft (the U.S. F-22 and F-35, Chinese FC-31/J-35, Korean KF-21, Turkish Kaan, and Indian AMCA); or any number of recent flying wing unmanned combat vehicles (including but not limited to the Phantom Ray, GJ-11, Neuron, Taranis, Anka-3, and Okhotnik-B).
On the other hand, the configuration of the KJ-600 is an excellent example of PLA pragmatism, which has been one of the defining characteristics of many of its military projects since the 1990s (and arguably, one of the contributors to the relative success and speed of PLA modernization during the last two decades). It is likely that requirements for a fixed-wing carrier AEWC were first laid out in the early 2010s, and different configurations and powerplant choices would have been assessed. However, powerplant options would have been the most significant limiting factor for the Chinese aerospace industry at that time (and is still the case now).
China’s Future Carrier Airwing: New Stealth Fighter and AWACS Spotted in Flight
Not much is known about its sensor suite but Henri Kenhmann from the Eastpendulum blog, a very reliable source on the Chinese military, previously shared the following:
“As for the type of radar selected for the platform, rumors mention an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar mounted on a rotating disk. This would favor the “width” of the radar (therefore the number of installed modules) the power and the range, to the detriment of the refresh rate had it been a three-sided fixed configuration (as is the case with the KJ-2000 and the KJ-500 land-based AWACS). A quick calculation shows that in “back-to-back” configuration, the “width” of each radar face is about 15% larger than in the configuration of three fixed faces, but all of this remains to be confirmed.”
This sounds quite similar to Lockheed Martin's E-2D AN/APY-9 AESA radar. Whether it duplicates the advanced signal processing such as STAP is not known, but possible.
This is one of the clearest images so far of the KJ-600, the Chinese Navy's "eye in the sky" - Aviacionline.com
One of the best images obtained so far of the Xian KJ-600, the future airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft China is developing for its conventional take-off and landing aircraft carrier, recently emerged on Chinese social media.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which is seeking to compete for dominance of the Pacific theater with the U.S. Navy. is close to commissioning its third aircraft carrier, the Type 003 “Fujian”, which is the first to be designed and built entirely in China and the second to use electromagnetic catapults for conventional take-off of its aircraft, or CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery).
Its formidable carrier air wing will be composed of the J-15 “Flying Shark” for air superiority, the J-35, as a low-detectability multirole combat aircraft, helicopters for anti-submarine warfare and the KJ-600, which, like the American E-2 Hawkeye, will have the task of being the “eyes in the sky” of the Chinese carrier task force.
See also: Pakistan formalizes interest in Chinese J-31/FC-31 “Gyrfalcon” stealth fighter
KJ-600, the Chinese Navy’s AEW&C
The flight of the first prototype of the Xian KJ-600 reportedly took place at the end of August 2020. The images that emerged of it from the controlled Chinese social networks have been scarce and of poor quality.
However, as the launch date for China’s first CATOBAR aircraft carrier approaches, the sporadic frequency of KJ-600 photographs becoming public seems to be accelerating. The image below is one of the best and clearest of those that have emerged so far.
As can be seen in this and other photographs published some time ago, the KJ-600 is equipped with a large AESA airborne and surface search radar, whose single phase antenna is located on a large rotating radome on the fuselage of the aircraft. Logically, it will also be equipped with other passive detection systems, self-protection equipment, as well as advanced secure communication and data link systems.
Its functions will be to extend the range of the fleet’s air defense detection capability, as well as to increase the carrier task force’s situational awareness, management, and command & control over the battlefield for offensive and defensive carrier task force operations.
Our First Clear Look At China’s KJ-600 Carrier-Based Radar Plane’s Nose
As of right now, at least four prototypes of the KJ-600s are currently in existence, and possibly as many as six. Twitter user @louischeung_hk even shared a brief video breaking down the recent KJ-600 sightings and noted that three of those prototypes have been spotted without the air-data probe used for flight testing that can be seen in the newest image.
In terms of the role that the KJ-600 will play in the air wing that the PLAN appears to be assembling for its newest Fujian
aircraft carrier, it will be tasked with extending the carrier’s radar
range dramatically, especially when it comes to spotting low-flying
objects or even surface contacts, similar to how the E-2 operates. This
is on top of working as a battlespace manager. Controllers onboard will
vector aircraft as needed and work as central command and control and
battlespace awareness elements for highly coordinated missions. The
KJ-600's radar picture and other passive sensor systems' data will be
linked back to the carrier group, and to other tactical aircraft, for
real-time exploitation. Working as a central data-fusion and
rebroadcasting node is also a good possibility. You can read all about
E-2C operations in this past feature.
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