Home Air Republic of Korea Air Force fields new precision approach radar

Republic of Korea Air Force fields new precision approach radar

ROK Air Force PAR radar AESA fielded
DAPA graphic of the locally-developed precision approach radar

The Republic of Korea Air Force has started employing new, locally-developed, precision approach radars, replacing foreign ones that were in use for over 30 years.

According to the South Korean defense procurement agency DAPA, the armed forces received the new homegrown radar guidance system for use at military airports recently.

These systems are used by air traffic controllers to provide lateral and vertical navigational guidance for landing aircraft.

DAPA said the new radars leverage homemade parts with improved performance, adding that they feature active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology, giving them an edge over the passive electronically scanned array (PESA) antenna that were used in the older radars.

The development of the new PAR systems is the result of a 20 billion won (US$15.74 million) investment by DAPA and defense industry major LIG Nex1. Development began in 2012 and was completed in 2017.

The systems fielded this year are the first batch of mass-produced precision approach radars.

Photo: DAPA