I'm an F-15C pilot. Believe it or not, the APG-63v3 radars are significantly better for air to air missions than the APG-81 1. more TRMs and 2. no air to ground TRMs. Multi-role radars hamstring the air to air effectiveness of detecting and tracking. Size real estate (# of TRMs) is also a big factor, as you covered in your video. These advantages routinely allow jets with the biggest radars to shoot down opponents before opponents were even aware they were in danger, as AIM-120 doesn't alert the other jet's RWR until it goes pitbull. This is one of the biggest reasons for the push for data links, allowing smaller jets to get information from AWACS or larger jets. There is a reason why Owls have huge eyes. Bigger is better. Bigger airframes also have more space for cooling. We also maneuver better in the cons (thin air above 30k feet) because big wings catch and hold more air. F-16 and F-35 skate around like a hot knife through butter up high.

As an engineer involved in the design and production of the APG-65 Radar (flat plate antenna) I am really appreciating you great explanation of AESA antennas.

Wow, I am an electronics engineer and I learnt something. A+++ technical video. So I think this should be part of the training for real pilots.

When knowledge meets discernment.

Another excellent video. Thank-you for sharing your knowledge with us.

Great episode, I enjoy the longer ones much more. So much more knowledge to be gained from these kind of in depth episodes.

It was absolutely splendid presentation Mill 7! One of my favorites on your entire channel.

AESA can also be a communication antenna. Great video. Thank you!

Thank you very much. I know I can never be an expert on this field, but this one video has expanded my knowledge of radars by a quantum level. I will have to watch this video a few times to digest everything and come to a basic understanding, but it will be worth the time and effort. Once again, thank you for this video. I have a folder in my bookmarks named "Science and Understanding", and this one video now resides there.

Always among the most informative videos to watch, and yet, entertaining as well. Thank You!

I love the way you present very complex information in a way anybody can understand. Great video. Thank you.

There was a paper with a subsequent practical implementation for active self-interference cancellation, allowing simultaneous transmit and receive on the same antenna. Uses similar techniques to noise cancelling earphones. No doubt this is already in the latest radars.

Thank you so much for this. I have always been so curious how these systems work. You have provided such a clear and concise explanation that's easily digestible. You are a boss!

Once again an extremely complex topic lucidly explained. Bravo and thank you.

Bravo! Great presentation and masters class on what is out there!

As always, didn't get disappointed since it is the best channel covering these topics.

The next step on fighter radars is digital beamforming which was impossible until recently due to size and weight constraints but electronics miniaturization has done it's thing...though I wanted to see your take on the APG-85 like you said in the title, but it maybe for the next video

I LOVE tis channel! I've been obsessed with aircraft since I was kid and this channel keeps that obsession alive! Thanks for posting such in depth information!

Outstanding thanks I worked on OTH radars in a different life but I nearly understood some of that ! A credit to your ability to explain mind melting concepts to the less mentally agile.

A simply superb explanation of radar technology. Summed it up in 17 minutes and in a way even dumb old me could understand. Wonderful video.

Awesome information, expertly explained, thank you!

Brilliant. Your videos keeps getting better.

I'm greatful for the video, I was just waiting for it 📹♥️

Even the starlink antenna is absolutely mind boggling and totally AWESOME 😮

Excellent video, I'm in no way an expert, just like to know more about fighterjet technology, and I understood everything here, which is a sign of your superb skill to transfer the knowledge. Thank you

Fantastic video! I’ve been watching your stuff for a while, but now you got a new sub! Keep up the great work!!

A masterpiece video on AESA radars basic meanings. Thank you, gentleman.

That was a great class of Radars, thanks for publishing.

GREAT job man ! Very valuable station you operate here sir !

Great presentation! I would like to acknowledge the time and effort involved in producing content such as that found in this video. Above and beyond that, may I compliment you on your delivery which, on such a technical subject, remains fluid, comprehensible and, at times, humorous. Again, great work my friend!

I love all of your videos, but the ones like this on technical topics are the reason I fell in love with this place. This is GREAT man, and please keep 'em coming! (Maybe EW next?! 🤣)

Thanks for the explanation.

Great deep dive. Wonderful vid 😮

Ive enjoyed watching the quality of your vids and information increase!

Thank god we are back on track learning something which will stand the test of time. The title was a bit misleading in that regard. Thanks for explaining radar technology for laymens like me.

It occurred to me. When you mentioned several antennas around the aircraft, now with modules we’re no longer limited to having a single emitting region on the nose. We could place them wherever we wish on the aircraft, say on the wing roots of the belly, tail, or fuselage. Not just small radars but almost engrained into the machine. Similar to the F-35’s current RWR which is baked into the skin, but it’s just modules all over the jet providing images all over. Now there are probably limitations, but who knows.

The best military aviation channel on UKposts.

Fun fact: The SAMPSON AESA radar on the Type 45 air defence destroyer has three panel antennas AND rotates, making the scan speed the combined electronic _and_ rotational speed. For when even AESA isn't fast enough.

Thank you. Very good explanation.

This is fascinating

Excellent lecture!

thanx a lot man serious and impresive data

Wow, that was really interesting! Thank you.

GaN is pretty exciting stuff. For example, the old motor controller on my electric motorcycle was standard silicon, it was heavy and about the size of a tissue box. It overheated and died. New one features GaN components. It's 1/4 the size and weight, with an extra 1000 watts output. Similarly, my new phone charger block is the size of a standard iPhone charger, but charges at 65 watts.

Very interesting video as always.

Great info dump on an obscure topic!

Great overview!

Another excellent video on a very interestng topic.

very interesting video. Im going to rewatch it tomorrow but I will have a note pad to help me remember it.

Well done

Perfect pitch, great video as usual. 🎯👍🇫🇷

AESA radars are cool. Would like more on this topic.

It was a surprise. There must be significant capability improvements to warrant the change.

Excellent video

Excellent info

I knew all about RADAR 60 yrs ago. Thanks for the crash course.

Omg man!!! I just can't bring myself to adress precisely how much sheer unbiased knowledge you can put in such short videos!!! You're incredible sir!!! Seriously, please keep up with your awesome work!!! I love how you closely and deeply talked about lesser known or even misunderstood jets, (usually by american propagandas) like the Gripen and the Felon per instance! I really appreciate it sir!!! Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us.

Excellent !

Super interesting!

Very clear.

Wow, i took some basic training as part of my job... And your 17 minutes video just informs/teaches better about the technology... You should offer classes

from one nerd to another, you're awesome!

I love this channel!!

I do find it amazing that the Eurofighter still uses a traditional (albeit flat panel) radar, and the AESA replacement won't be in service till 2030, 17 years after the rFench one.

This is one of my FAVORITE videos from you @millenuim ... THANK YOU ! JAM PACKED WITH INFORMATION !

Many years ago I was in engineering college, and working alternate semesters as an "engineering coop" for a large US aerospace/defense company. I spent one semester term in the Attack Radar dept, assisting an engineer who was tasked with convincing USAF (or any other AF) to fund an AESA project which was currently being funded in-house. One day some of the engineers met with representive of a foreign customer, to give the pitch for AESA funding. (I was not in this meeting.) After the meeting, one of the engineers came back to our cubicle farm, frustrated as hell. It seems upon explaining how AESA worked, caused one of the foreign reps to immediately inquire about the possibility of LPI applications. And our engineers were forbidden to even discuss that aspect with foreign customers.

I am a highscooler, that likes physics, but is not good at it. I did not understand anything, but I managed to convince myself i got the message. Video is 10/10.

Excellent 👌 job sir much greatful 🙏🤲 keep up the great work

i see aesa i click

Beautiful explanation as always! Rooting for 100K subs in 2023 👏🏻

this is an awesome channel

Thanks

I can imagine the conversation between the scientists in charge of radar developing: “so… what are you up to, guys?” “Well… we’re working on a device that virtually creates some map like Call of Duty, but from a real airspace” “Mmm… sounds interesting” “it also can send moaning sounds to enemy radars!”

Theoretically, if the radar beam is narrowed from 33° to 3° for the same distance, the signal strength is reduced by 19.6x.

Big jump from the APN-59 I worked with quite some years ago.

Thankings. Have interactions.

It's too bad that even PESA is still so expensive. The US National Weather Service got to borrow a Navy PESA radar and test out the technology's potential for weather radars. The results were fantastic. Scans done in a hundredth of the time it takes traditional radars. Doppler capabilities built in so tornado warnings could be issued sooner. Of course it is still able to do its original job, so in addition to monitoring the weather it would also provide a near constant picture of the airspace around it for the FAA.

Note there are also Hybrid PESA RADAR (Bars, Irbis and so on..) i.e.radars that has an emitter/receivers module for each antennas but still has a single TWT for generating radio waves. This allow almost all the advanced features of a an AESA radar but to keep a lighter and steerable antenna (that however didn't need to scan constantly like a mechanical one but can be pointed sideways so allowing a complete FOW) Only thing it cannot do is emitting at two different frequencies or direction or modes at the same time so it is a little less flexible and a little less capable for what it came to low probability of intercept mode.

WOW Awesome Video!! Amazing presentation too. I learn so much from you it’s crazy - thank you….PS. I missed OTIS though haha

15:15 The Gripen E employs the most GaN of any aircraft, making it outstanding. (Excellent Video)

Wonderful

Super interesting to see the dispersion of the recevers all around the gripen!! Did not know it had such coverage. I remember when you did a video of the Su-57 you mentioned long pannels on the sides or of it was the wings that potentially would be in the L-band but you were wondering abit if it was true. Are they built with the same type of elements as the one you described now but with a different geometrical shape or do they build on different technologie? Is it just the size of the plate that limite what band ot can send in or are there other factors? Have ypu heard any thing more about the "L-band" on the -57 Thanks for a super video!

I feel like i might actually understand like 0.1% of this now... That means your explanation was pretty outstanding

Good video. A few points. AESA/PESA are often still movable due to the mentioned scan angle limit. I'm sure you are aware of this but I don't recall it being discussed. You covered many of the additional capabilities of AESA systems. As an extension of the passive capabilities, AESA systems could be synchronized with external emitters and passively generate high fidelity data. You touched on heat rejection. This is one of the primary problems facing modern military aircraft. You may consider doing an video just on this topic as AESA radars are just the tip of the proverbial iceburg.

So cool.

Thank you sir 🇮🇳

Or you can keep the larger cooling system, and pump more power through the GaN... Also, when using it for jamming, the new advantages with narrow beam propagation give not just more range to radar, but more potency to jamming. And all without needing to put a lead-lined bib on the pilot ;) (for those who were wondering, the main difference between APG-81 and APG-85 is going from GaAs to GaN, and adding 3 new EW modes)

Bravo completely distracted me from my chores...just to date me I remember GAs Photo Diodes becoming a thing after Silicon PDs, now I'm wondering what wonders of SA can be achieved with these things on something the size of the Mig31 or indeed the NGAD Fighter

Where have I heard this before? Audio! I am a retired audio engineer and not long before I retired the combination of arrayed monitors (speakers in caninets) and digital signal processing (DSP) was revolutionising mainly audio reproduction but also capture. Have you seen those large stacks of ‘speakers’ at a rock concert? Often flown (as in suspended) and curved slightly in a convex way pointing towards the audience? Same principles as laid out here. Phase delays, originally using analogue delay circuits but more recently DSP applied to individual drivers (speakers) enabled sound to be focussed where it is wanted. And calculated use of short digital delays also enabled stacks to be placed anywhere as the signal could be delayed taking into account the speed of sound to synchronise the sound waves throughout a venue. It tickles me that all these different fields converge into the meta field of signal processing. Whether it’s a digitised audio signal or radar radio waves, the principles are the same. Visible light is kinda it’s own thing because the wavelengths are so small. Quantum and other effects apparently screw up the processing algorithms that work fine for audio and radar wavelengths but most of this works, with exceptions and reservations even with uncorrelated (I.e. - NOT Laser) light.

This is a very educational video on advanced radar for me. I am familiar with 5G advanced antenna systems. I read that these newer beam-forming and beam-steering antenna systems were developed from advanced radar technology. Now I have a much better idea as to why that is the case.

Tank you! Can we see a clip about the Wegetail and Global eye soon? I miss information of the higher frequency span in the GaN tech and even the possibility to place more avionics directly in the element. I even want to know more about what properties are effected by the numbers of elements in an AESA and how distributed aperture of AESA's are effecting the radar performance.

Very nice presentation! I work in telecoms and we have been using coherent t/r tech for several years. I do wonder if AESA technology inspired this approach, it is essentially the free-space equivalent, (and of course 5G mobile networks use essentially the same principle of coherent beam steering).

Can radars detect enemy radar microwaves/output and or reflections? Or is it only waves directed at the sensor like head on?

If stealth is considered to be a necessary characteristic of fifth generation fighters, then the AESA radar is required in fifth generation fighters because it's the only radar that is stealthy. All other radars broadcast their presence like a flashlight.

Me, scrolling my feed: “Boring, will watch later, not interesting…Oh! Millennium 7*! Must watch immediately (after I leave a thumbs up)”

I want one! 😍

0:45 - that, my friends, is a screenshot from Digital Combat Simulator (DCS). It’s the F-15C from Flaming Cliffs 3.

The pilots in f35 don’t even call it a radar anymore since it does much more

Excellent material covered here as always! I'd be curious to hear more about the detection capabilities of different IRST systems currently being fielded 🤔. Having a highly refined / integrated IRST system has the potential advantage of keeping radar systems in passive modes (thus minimizing return signatures). Allows for firing of BVR air to air missiles without having to 'illuminate' the target. Best wishes!

Wait, it came out of the blue? What? How was I aware of this a couple months ago? Seriously, I should not know anything before this channel.