An airplane, the Airbus A320 used for research, has a very different and exotic appearance, incorporating a part from a military fighter jet. The A320 used in the ATRA – Advanced Technology Research Aircraft project, part of the DLR (German Aerospace Center), is typically equipped with various sensors for aerodynamic and atmospheric studies but has now been seen with an unusual feature.
The aircraft features an elongated nose, as the new AESA radar has been installed, which will equip the Eurofighter Typhoon fighters of the Luftwaffe and Spanish Air Force’s Tranche 4 batch. The A320ceo, registered as D-ATRA, replaced its traditional weather radar with the Captor ECRS.Mk 1 radar, manufactured by the German company Hensoldt.
Known as the best technology currently available in military radars, AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) is an advanced technology that uses an array of independently emitting and receiving elements, allowing electronic scanning without the need for physical movement of the antenna, as reported by the affiliated outlet Aeroin.
It offers several advantages, such as greater precision, faster detection and tracking of targets, resistance to interference, and the ability to operate in multiple modes simultaneously (such as search and surveillance).
This technology is widely used in military aircraft, ships, and defense systems, contributing to greater efficiency and security in strategic operations. Brazil recently began using this type of radar, with the Leonardo Raven ES-05, which equips all SAAB Gripen NG fighters.
As of today, some Typhoon fighters from Qatar and Kuwait are already equipped with AESA radar, but from a previous generation, the Captor-E Mk 0. The Mk1 will be installed in Germany and Spain’s Tranche 2 and 3 fighters, in addition to being the standard in new Tranche 4 fighters to be produced in future batches.
The Mk2 version, which includes technology from the ES-05 used in the Gripen, is also under development but will currently only be installed on future Royal Air Force British fighters.
The Captor Mk 1 radar installed on the A320 was discovered by journalist Tony Osborne, who shared a photo on his Twitter, drawing attention to the new shape of the commercial aircraft’s nose. The Airbus will soon fly and test the new radar before it is integrated into German and Spanish Eurofighters.
