Transforming the FA-50: Raytheon Technologies Enhances Korea Aerospace Industries with Cutting-Edge PhantomStrike™ Radar
Raytheon Technologies will equip Korea Aerospace Industries’ FA-50 Light Attack Aircraft with the innovative PhantomStrike radar. PhantomStrike is a fully air-cooled fire-control radar engineered to deliver long-range threat identification, tracking, and targeting. Collaborating with the United States Government, PhantomStrike has received approval for export as a Direct Commercial Sales product to KAI.
PhantomStrike is a pioneering, compact AESA radar that is more diminutive, lighter, and consumes less energy. It is tailored for a diverse array of platforms, encompassing light-attack aircraft, rotorcraft, uncrewed aerial systems, and terrestrial towers.
“Equipping the FA-50 with the PhantomStrike radar enhances the capability of a vital aircraft, offering unmatched performance in a compact, cost-effective solution,” stated Annabel Flores, president of Global Spectrum Dominance at Raytheon Technologies. “All while ensuring these jets are swift, nimble, and straightforward to maintain.”
PhantomStrike fuses two Raytheon Technologies specialties — a gallium nitride-powered array and the compact high-reliability integrated receiver/exciter processor, or CHIRP — to align with the capabilities of contemporary AESA radars. The enhancements deliver features such as digital beam forming and steering, multimode functionality, and interleaved ground and air targeting.
“Threats on the battlefield are constantly changing, and PhantomStrike enables KAI to provide high-performance fire control radar functionalities that can synchronize with U.S. and global weapon systems, ensuring FA-50 clients retain air superiority,” remarked Flores.
Manufacturing of the radars will occur in Forest, Mississippi; Tucson, Arizona; and Scotland, with assistance from Raytheon UK. Initial shipments are anticipated in 2025.
