Thales has unveiled a next-generation lightweight AESA radar tailored for UAVs and light fighter aircraft, enhancing their sensor capability without compromising payload capacity. The radar incorporates GaN-based transmit-receive modules for superior efficiency and durability, providing long-range detection, imaging, and electronic attack functions. With its modular design, the radar can be easily scaled for multiple platforms, offering seamless integration with manned and unmanned systems. The technology supports multi-domain operations, combining target identification, terrain mapping, and electronic countermeasures in a compact form factor. Thales positions the system as a cost-effective upgrade for air forces seeking to modernize existing fleets while preparing for future combat drone architectures. Compatible with both Western and allied data link standards, the radar strengthens Thales’s portfolio in the evolving lightweight sensor market. Its unveiling underscores the company’s commitment to innovation in agile radar technologies that meet the operational demands of network-centric warfare and distributed aerial combat operations.
