China recently unveiled a new Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) plane intended to improve the nation’s ability to identify threats. The KJ-3000, which is built on Beijing’s native Y-20 strategic transport platform, has four powerful engines. The plane also seems to have two active electronically scanned array radars that rotate for complete environmental coverage. Chinese news agencies claim that the KJ-3000 will increase the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) surveillance capabilities, particularly in the disputed South China Sea and the western Pacific.
