Raytheon, a business of RTX, has delivered the first PhantomStrike radar system to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for integration into the FA-50 Light Combat Aircraft, the company announced on October 20.
The PhantomStrike is an air-cooled, Gallium Nitride-based fire-control radar designed to enhance situational awareness and targeting capabilities. It offers long-range detection, tracking, and engagement functions while being lighter and more cost-efficient than traditional systems. The radar uses a fast digital beam and advanced anti-jamming technology to improve operational effectiveness in contested environments.
“In an increasingly complex and contested battlespace, aircrew need to make informed, split-second decisions to ensure mission success,” said Dan Theisen, president of Advanced Products and Solutions at Raytheon. “Delivering the first PhantomStrike system to KAI marks a pivotal step in equipping our customers with the advanced technology needed to maintain a decisive advantage in combat.”
The system is intended for use on size, weight, and power-constrained platforms such as light-attack aircraft, uncrewed systems, fighter jets, and helicopters. It weighs roughly half as much as a typical active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, providing full fire-control capability in a compact form.
PhantomStrike is approved for export under a Direct Commercial Sale model. Earlier this year, Raytheon completed a series of flight tests demonstrating both air-to-air and air-to-ground functions on its Multi-Program Testbed aircraft and delivered a laboratory unit for integration testing in August.
Production of the radar is carried out in Forest, Mississippi; Tucson, Arizona; and Scotland, with additional support from Raytheon UK.
