What is the difference between 35s and 35bm? is the BM using AESA?
As far as I know Su 35 S is a standard version of Su 35 BM for Russian Air Force so at least it is not an export version of Su 35. Nope, both of them don't use AESA but still incorporate some STEALTH technology like using radar absorbing material and with canopy who can reflect radar wave.
Yup, our Su 35 should have AESA like PAKFA, for me maybe it is better to wait if they don't give us AESA. Some lesson should be taken from our Su 27 experience having dogfights with Aussie F-18 Superhornet at Darwin (practice), we can beat them only in close range combat and lost in long range one since Superhornet has better radar than our Sukhoi. The thing that is problematic is that we still don't know their AESA radar capability. Why dont they use AESA in their Su 35 S fleet yet ??? Is it really superior than Irbis-E passived array radar.
Just take a look at Irbis-E :
Irbis-E is an advanced multi-mode, hybrid
passive electronically scanned array radar system developed by
Tikhomirov NIIP for the
Su-35BM multi-purpose fighter aircraft. NIIP developed the new radar based on the
Bars radar system provided to
Su-30MKI/
MKM/MKA aircraft.
Design
Irbis-E development started in 2004 and the first radar prototype entered flight tests on board an Su-30M2 aircraft acting as a test bed in early 2007. The resulting radar system provides air-to-air, air-to-sea and air-to-ground (ground mapping, Doppler beam sharpening and
Synthetic Aperture Radar modes) modes with improved performance in intense clutter environments compared to its predecessor, the Bars system.
In addition, Irbis has been designed to detect low and super-low observable/stealth airborne threats.
This is an X-waveband multi-role radar with a passive phased antenna array (PAA) mounted on a two-step hydraulic drive unit (in azimuth and roll). The antenna device scans by an electronically controlled beam in azimuth and angle of elevation in sectors not smaller than 60°. The two-step electro-hydraulic drive unit additionally turns the antenna by mechanic means to 60° in azimuth and 120° in roll. Thus, in using the electronic control and mechanical additional turn of the antenna, the maximum deflection angle of the beam grows to 120°.
[1] The Irbis-E is a direct evolution of the BARS design, but significantly more powerful. While the hybrid phased array antenna is retained, the noise figure is slightly worse at 3.5 dB, but the receiver has four rather than three discrete channels. The biggest change is in the EGSP-27 transmitter, where the single 7-kilowatt peak power rated Chelnok TWT is replaced with a pair of 10-kilowatt peak power rated Chelnok tubes, ganged to provide a total peak power rating of 20 kilowatts. The radar is cited at an average power rating of 5 kilowatts, with 2 kilowatts CW rating for illumination. NIIP claim twice the bandwidth and improved frequency agility over the BARS, and better ECCM capability. The Irbis-E has new Solo-35.01 digital signal processor hardware and Solo-35.02 data processor, but retains receiver hardware, the master oscillator and exciter of the BARS. A prototype has been in flight test since late 2005.
[2]
Operational features
Irbis-E can detect and track up to 30 airborne targets at one time at ranges near 400 kilometers, and attack up to 8. In air-to-surface mode the Irbis-E provides mapping allowing to attack four surface targets with precision-guided weapons while scanning the horizon searching for airborne threats that can be engaged using
active radar homing missiles.
It can detect a target with RCS 3m2 at up to 400 km, (towards each other, in the area of 100 square degrees)
Irbis-E - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia