New AESA Radar to Add Teeth to Russian Attack Helicopters

Russia’s Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET) debuted the Arbalet-AM multi-mode airborne radar system (ARS) at the Dubai Airshow designed for installation on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

The system is equipped with an active phased array (AESA) radar, which provides enhanced stealth in LPI mode and stable target tracking in challenging jamming environments. The use of artificial intelligence improves the accuracy of recognition of air, ground, and sea targets.

A synthetic aperture mode for detecting and classifying ground targets has also been implemented. The parameters of this radar system are close to those of the Rezets radar system, integrated into the weapons control system of the Ka-52M reconnaissance and attack helicopters.

A key feature is the ability to control unmanned aerial vehicles using a narrow beam, which increases the communication channel's resistance to jamming.

According to the developers, the system helps reduce crew decision-making time and ultimately significantly improves the survivability and effectiveness of combat aircraft.

The Rezets radar was announced in 2019 and has features such as a fixed 900×300 mm AESA antenna with 640 transceiver modules.

It can detect a group of tanks from 45 km, a railway bridge from 100 km, and a destroyer-class warship from 150 km, according to the manufacturer.

In the air-to-air mode, it can detect a fighter aircraft with a radar cross section of 3 sq m from up to 50 km head-on and a hovering helicopter from 20 km.

The Rezets radar weighs 130 kg, 10 kg less than the current Ka-52's FH01 produced by Phazotron-NIIR of Moscow, and is air-cooled, with an air scoop for cooling seen on the helicopter's nose fairing.

It is not yet known if the  Arbalet-AM  will replace the Rezets radar system or is meant for only helicopters marked for specialist missions.