What are the sensors of a modern fighter jet?
The primary sensor of the modern fighter remains the radar. Up until the 1980s operating a radar effectively required a great degree of skill; today’s digital radars are simple to use, long-ranged and harder to jam than ever.
What is the difference between the ‘flanker’ and ‘bar’ radar?
Compared to the Bars radar of earlier ‘Flanker’s it has a wider range of operational frequencies, greater angular search zone of up to +/-125° (due to better aerial and double-step drive), longer range and better resistance to jamming and finer resolution.
What are the different types of fighter radar?
There are two types of fighter radar, mechanical- and electronically scanning. The latter can be divided into three categories: passive scanning, active scanning and ‘hybrid tilters’. The passive electronically scanning array radar (PESA) have a single radio source that sends energy to multiple receive/transmit modules.
What kind of radar does the Rafale have?
When the Rafale entered service in 2001 it carried the RBE 2 radar, the first electronically scanning fighter radar in Western Europe. The radar has greatly impressed pilots, with many commenting on the excellent situational awareness it provides, and how easy it is to use on combat missions.
How do fighter jets detect enemy aircraft?
Many of today’s fighters use a nose- or pod-mounted infrared sensor to detect enemy aircraft. An aircraft warmer than the surrounding air becomes detectable to such an infrared sensor, especially the hot gasses blowing out the rear of the plane. Infrared stealth would be very useful against weapons like the Russian R-73 infrared guided missile.
What are the best fighter jets in the world?
Sukhoi Su-35 advanced multirole air superiority fighter is one of the best fighter jets in the world. Image courtesy of Sukhoi Company (JSC). An F/A-18E/F Super Hornet from the US Navy prepares to land on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
What is a multi-role fighter aircraft?
The multirole fighter is operated by the French Air Force and Navy. This aircraft features latest avionics and smart sensor systems. It can carry a 30mm cannon, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, nuclear and anti-ship missiles, as well as a range of laser-guided bombs and ground-attack munitions.