South Korea’s FA-50 fighter now uses Raytheon PhantomStrike radar to see targets farther
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Raytheon delivered the first PhantomStrike active electronically scanned array radar to Korea Aerospace Industries for integration on the FA-50 light combat aircraft. The new radar gives the FA-50 longer detection range and improved target tracking, extending the aircraft’s operational effectiveness for allied air forces.
On October 20, 2025, Raytheon confirmed the first delivery of its PhantomStrike radar to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for installation on the FA-50 light attack aircraft. The PhantomStrike radar uses gallium nitride technology and an air-cooled AESA design to enhance range and reliability without adding significant weight. Integration testing began after flight evaluations earlier in 2025 as part of the FA-50 Block 20 upgrade plan, which includes export variants for Poland and Malaysia.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The integration of the PhantomStrike radar, a compact, fully air-cooled AESA system, gives the FA-50 a long-range, multi-target detection, a better jamming resistance, and a true beyond-visual-range engagement capability. (Picture source: South Korean Air Force)
By delivering the first PhantomStrike radar to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for integration on the FA-50 light attack aircraft fleet, Raytheon marked the radar’s entry into operational integration after a series of flight tests earlier in 2025 and the delivery of a laboratory unit in August for integration evaluation. The PhantomStrike is a fully air-cooled, gallium nitride (GaN) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar designed to provide long-range target detection, tracking, and engagement capabilities. It is optimized for aircraft with size, weight, and power constraints, such as light fighters, rotary-wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The radar is approved for export under Direct Commercial Sale regulations, and production takes place across facilities in Forest, Mississippi, Tucson, Arizona, and Scotland, with support from Raytheon UK. According to Raytheon’s internal development schedule, the radar’s first deliveries to KAI support integration efforts for multiple customer programs, including future applications beyond the FA-50.
The PhantomStrike uses a GaN-based AESA array coupled with Raytheon’s compact high-reliability integrated receiver/exciter processor (CHIRP) architecture. This configuration allows efficient signal processing in a compact form factor without requiring liquid cooling, thereby reducing system complexity and maintenance demands. The radar weighs approximately 68 kilograms, nearly half the mass of conventional AESA fire-control radars, and operates entirely through air cooling. It can generate multiple digital beams simultaneously, providing interleaved air-to-air and air-to-ground functionality for target tracking and surface mapping. The design supports high-speed beam agility, resistance to electronic jamming, and detection of low radar cross-section targets such as drones and cruise missiles. Its architecture enables integration into platforms constrained by available power and cooling systems, and it maintains a long-term upgrade path through modular electronics and software-defined operating modes. During test flights on Raytheon’s Multi-Program Testbed aircraft, the radar demonstrated stable performance during terrain mapping and aerial tracking, validating its operational suitability for light multirole aircraft.
The radar is designed to deliver capability at a fraction of the cost of traditional fire-control radars, supporting deployment on aircraft classes that previously could not accommodate AESA technology. Its open mission systems architecture allows for integration across fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, uncrewed systems, and ground installations. The radar’s air-cooled design eliminates the need for additional liquid-cooling infrastructure and associated pumps, reducing both the overall mass and logistical burden on host aircraft. PhantomStrike’s GaN modules enable higher power output while dissipating less heat, enhancing efficiency in sustained operations. The radar provides long-range tracking, improved low-altitude detection, and a wide field of regard suitable for both offensive and defensive missions. It supports multimodal functions, including synthetic aperture radar mapping, ground moving target indication, and air target identification. These characteristics make it adaptable to a variety of environments and mission types without structural modifications to the host platform.
The FA-50 Fighting Eagle is derived from the T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer jointly developed by Korea Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin. It is powered by a General Electric F404 engine producing 78.7 kilonewtons of thrust and capable of achieving speeds up to Mach 1.5, with a service ceiling of approximately 14,600 meters. The airframe can carry up to 5,400 kilograms of external ordnance across seven hardpoints, including a centerline-mounted M197 20 mm cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and precision-guided bombs. The aircraft entered service with the Republic of Korea Air Force in 2014 and has since been adopted by Iraq, Thailand, the Philippines, Poland, and Malaysia. It combines the characteristics of a supersonic trainer with combat capability, serving dual roles in advanced pilot training and light strike operations. The FA-50 features a digital fly-by-wire control system, tactical datalink, and a multi-function cockpit display architecture. Its introduction marked South Korea’s first indigenous supersonic aircraft program and expanded the country’s export portfolio in the defense aviation sector.
Earlier FA-50 variants were fitted with the Israeli Elta EL/M-2032 pulse-Doppler radar, providing multi-role tracking modes but lacking the range and resolution of modern AESA systems. The selection of the PhantomStrike radar in May 2023 replaced the previous mechanically scanned array with a fully solid-state, electronically steered design, improving detection range, reliability, and resistance to countermeasures. The new radar supports simultaneous tracking and engagement of multiple airborne and surface targets, high-resolution ground mapping, and terrain-following functions. Integration of the radar allows the aircraft to employ advanced air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder, as well as precision-guided munitions, including the GBU-12 Paveway II and JDAM series. The FA-50 Block 20 variant also features Link 16 connectivity, a helmet-mounted display, and compatibility with advanced targeting pods such as the Sniper or Litening systems. These upgrades collectively transition the aircraft from a light attack configuration to a multirole platform capable of beyond-visual-range engagements.
KAI’s development roadmap for the FA-50 includes progressive block upgrades that expand operational range, endurance, and systems integration. The Block 20 configuration introduces provisions for an aerial refueling probe developed by Cobham Mission Systems, conformal fuel tanks to increase range, and improved avionics software for enhanced situational awareness. Poland’s FA-50PL variant will incorporate the PhantomStrike radar alongside Link 16, Sniper targeting pods, and integration for Western air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. Malaysia’s FA-50M follows a similar configuration path under its $920 million procurement contract signed in 2023. The radar integration schedule aligns with delivery timelines extending through 2026 for these export variants. In addition to manned applications, the radar’s modular architecture enables potential installation in cooperative attack aircraft and unmanned wingman systems. For operators, the use of a common radar baseline across multiple air forces simplifies logistics, training, and maintenance while ensuring interoperability with allied forces equipped with compatible data links and sensor networks.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Raytheon delivered the first PhantomStrike active electronically scanned array radar to Korea Aerospace Industries for integration on the FA-50 light combat aircraft. The new radar gives the FA-50 longer detection range and improved target tracking, extending the aircraft’s operational effectiveness for allied air forces.
On October 20, 2025, Raytheon confirmed the first delivery of its PhantomStrike radar to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for installation on the FA-50 light attack aircraft. The PhantomStrike radar uses gallium nitride technology and an air-cooled AESA design to enhance range and reliability without adding significant weight. Integration testing began after flight evaluations earlier in 2025 as part of the FA-50 Block 20 upgrade plan, which includes export variants for Poland and Malaysia.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The integration of the PhantomStrike radar, a compact, fully air-cooled AESA system, gives the FA-50 a long-range, multi-target detection, a better jamming resistance, and a true beyond-visual-range engagement capability. (Picture source: South Korean Air Force)
By delivering the first PhantomStrike radar to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for integration on the FA-50 light attack aircraft fleet, Raytheon marked the radar’s entry into operational integration after a series of flight tests earlier in 2025 and the delivery of a laboratory unit in August for integration evaluation. The PhantomStrike is a fully air-cooled, gallium nitride (GaN) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar designed to provide long-range target detection, tracking, and engagement capabilities. It is optimized for aircraft with size, weight, and power constraints, such as light fighters, rotary-wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The radar is approved for export under Direct Commercial Sale regulations, and production takes place across facilities in Forest, Mississippi, Tucson, Arizona, and Scotland, with support from Raytheon UK. According to Raytheon’s internal development schedule, the radar’s first deliveries to KAI support integration efforts for multiple customer programs, including future applications beyond the FA-50.
The PhantomStrike uses a GaN-based AESA array coupled with Raytheon’s compact high-reliability integrated receiver/exciter processor (CHIRP) architecture. This configuration allows efficient signal processing in a compact form factor without requiring liquid cooling, thereby reducing system complexity and maintenance demands. The radar weighs approximately 68 kilograms, nearly half the mass of conventional AESA fire-control radars, and operates entirely through air cooling. It can generate multiple digital beams simultaneously, providing interleaved air-to-air and air-to-ground functionality for target tracking and surface mapping. The design supports high-speed beam agility, resistance to electronic jamming, and detection of low radar cross-section targets such as drones and cruise missiles. Its architecture enables integration into platforms constrained by available power and cooling systems, and it maintains a long-term upgrade path through modular electronics and software-defined operating modes. During test flights on Raytheon’s Multi-Program Testbed aircraft, the radar demonstrated stable performance during terrain mapping and aerial tracking, validating its operational suitability for light multirole aircraft.
The radar is designed to deliver capability at a fraction of the cost of traditional fire-control radars, supporting deployment on aircraft classes that previously could not accommodate AESA technology. Its open mission systems architecture allows for integration across fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, uncrewed systems, and ground installations. The radar’s air-cooled design eliminates the need for additional liquid-cooling infrastructure and associated pumps, reducing both the overall mass and logistical burden on host aircraft. PhantomStrike’s GaN modules enable higher power output while dissipating less heat, enhancing efficiency in sustained operations. The radar provides long-range tracking, improved low-altitude detection, and a wide field of regard suitable for both offensive and defensive missions. It supports multimodal functions, including synthetic aperture radar mapping, ground moving target indication, and air target identification. These characteristics make it adaptable to a variety of environments and mission types without structural modifications to the host platform.
The FA-50 Fighting Eagle is derived from the T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer jointly developed by Korea Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin. It is powered by a General Electric F404 engine producing 78.7 kilonewtons of thrust and capable of achieving speeds up to Mach 1.5, with a service ceiling of approximately 14,600 meters. The airframe can carry up to 5,400 kilograms of external ordnance across seven hardpoints, including a centerline-mounted M197 20 mm cannon, air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and precision-guided bombs. The aircraft entered service with the Republic of Korea Air Force in 2014 and has since been adopted by Iraq, Thailand, the Philippines, Poland, and Malaysia. It combines the characteristics of a supersonic trainer with combat capability, serving dual roles in advanced pilot training and light strike operations. The FA-50 features a digital fly-by-wire control system, tactical datalink, and a multi-function cockpit display architecture. Its introduction marked South Korea’s first indigenous supersonic aircraft program and expanded the country’s export portfolio in the defense aviation sector.
Earlier FA-50 variants were fitted with the Israeli Elta EL/M-2032 pulse-Doppler radar, providing multi-role tracking modes but lacking the range and resolution of modern AESA systems. The selection of the PhantomStrike radar in May 2023 replaced the previous mechanically scanned array with a fully solid-state, electronically steered design, improving detection range, reliability, and resistance to countermeasures. The new radar supports simultaneous tracking and engagement of multiple airborne and surface targets, high-resolution ground mapping, and terrain-following functions. Integration of the radar allows the aircraft to employ advanced air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder, as well as precision-guided munitions, including the GBU-12 Paveway II and JDAM series. The FA-50 Block 20 variant also features Link 16 connectivity, a helmet-mounted display, and compatibility with advanced targeting pods such as the Sniper or Litening systems. These upgrades collectively transition the aircraft from a light attack configuration to a multirole platform capable of beyond-visual-range engagements.
KAI’s development roadmap for the FA-50 includes progressive block upgrades that expand operational range, endurance, and systems integration. The Block 20 configuration introduces provisions for an aerial refueling probe developed by Cobham Mission Systems, conformal fuel tanks to increase range, and improved avionics software for enhanced situational awareness. Poland’s FA-50PL variant will incorporate the PhantomStrike radar alongside Link 16, Sniper targeting pods, and integration for Western air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. Malaysia’s FA-50M follows a similar configuration path under its $920 million procurement contract signed in 2023. The radar integration schedule aligns with delivery timelines extending through 2026 for these export variants. In addition to manned applications, the radar’s modular architecture enables potential installation in cooperative attack aircraft and unmanned wingman systems. For operators, the use of a common radar baseline across multiple air forces simplifies logistics, training, and maintenance while ensuring interoperability with allied forces equipped with compatible data links and sensor networks.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
