- EL/M-2075
The IAI EL/M-2075 Phalcon is an
Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)radar system in use by a number of countries to give intelligence to maintainair superiority and conductsurveillance . It was developed with a partnership betweenIsraeli Aircraft Industries andElta Electronics Industries , ofIsrael . The Phalcon was consideredWho|date=February 2008 the most advanced AEW&C system in the world, before the introduction of American-madeWedgetail for theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF).Fact|date=February 2008Instead of using a rotodome, a moving
radar found onAWACS aircraft , the Phalcon uses theActive Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), an activephased array radar. This radar consists of an array transmit/receive (T/R) modules that allow a beam to be electronically steered, making a physically rotating rotodome unnecessary. AESA radars have very short to instantaneous scanning rates, which makes them difficult to detect.Phalcon radars can be mounted on the an aircraft's
fuselage or on the top inside a small dome. Either position gives the radar 360 degree coverage. This allows it to track high maneuvering targets and low flying objects from hundreds ofkilometer s away, under all weather conditions, in both day and night.The radars can be fitted to a number of aircraft, including the
Boeing 707 ,Boeing 767 ,Boeing 747 , and theIlyushin Il-76 . Under a contract signed with Chile in1989 , the first Phalcon system to be installed was fitted to a formerLanChile Boeing 707, and was first flown in1993 . InMay 1994 the aircraft was delivered to theChilean Air Force , where it is known as the Condor.China 's purchase of the Phalcon system in2000 was denied due to pressure from theUnited States .India bought three Phalcon systems in2004 for a cost of $1.1 billion. At the same time,Russia agreed to supply IL-76s to India for fitting of the Phalcon.The
Israeli Air Force has purchased 3Gulfstream G550 aircraft to serve as the new IDF platform for the Phalcon system. [cite news|url=http://rfdesign.com/military_defense_electronics/news/israel_receives_aircraft_0213/|title=Israel to receive the first of three Eitam AEW aircraft|date=Feb 13, 2008|publisher=RF Design Magazine|accessdate=2008-07-11] The system is calledEitam . Extensive modifications made to the Gulfstream's fuselage, such as the addition of protruding compositeradome s, are intended to allow for the housing of the radar arrays. In2007 , 4 similar G550-Phalcon aircraft were also purchased by theRepublic of Singapore Air Force , to eventually replace its ageing E-2C Hawkeyes. All 4 G550s are expected to be in-service by2010 . [Flight International: [http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/05/01/213565/singapore-confirms-aew-purchase.html Singapore confirms new AEW purchase] ]Operators
* - 3 newer variants ("Eitam") in service on
Gulfstream G550 platforms. Older variants onBoeing 707 Platforms are also in service.
* - 1 in service on aBoeing 707 platform.
* - 3 ordered on anIl-76 platform. [ [http://www.beriev.com/eng/Pr_rel_e/pr_123e.html Beriev Press Release] ] Deliveries to be completed by January-February 2009.Indian Air Force cleared proposals to acquire 3 morePhalcon in 2008. [ [http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4021 Indian Air Force PHALCON AWACS to be Delivered by Jan-Feb 2009] ]
* - 4 ordered onGulfstream G550 platforms.References
External links
* [http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/aircraft/phalcon/Phalcon.html Phalcon]
* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/phalcon.htm IAI Phalcon 707]
* [http://www.aewa.org Airborne Early Warning Association website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykXKqvio8BA Promotional video from IAI-Elta]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.