SOURCE: AFI
In a significant development for global aerospace technology, India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program is poised to outpace the French Dassault Rafale in the adoption of cutting-edge Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar technology.
While Dassault Aviation has announced that its Rafale F5 variant, slated for introduction in the 2030s, will feature an upgraded GaN-based AESA radar, India’s Tejas MkII and later batches of Tejas Mk1A are set to integrate this advanced radar system as early as 2026. With 912 Transmit/Receive Modules (TRMs) compared to the Rafale’s current 838 TRMs, the Indian-made Uttam AESA radar signals a leap forward in India’s defense self-reliance and technological prowess under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The Uttam AESA radar, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), represents a pinnacle of India’s indigenous avionics capabilities. The upgraded GaN-based version of the Uttam, tailored for the Tejas MkII and later Tejas Mk1A aircraft, features 912 TRMs, offering superior power efficiency, enhanced detection range, and improved resistance to electronic jamming compared to the Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)-based systems currently in use. This radar, with its high-density quad-module architecture, is designed to track multiple targets simultaneously, provide high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging, and support advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Starting from the 41st Tejas Mk1A unit, the Uttam AESA will replace the Israeli ELM-2052 radar, marking a significant milestone in equipping Indian fighter jets with fully indigenous sensors. The radar’s 912 TRMs surpass the 838 TRMs of the Thales RBE2 AESA radar currently equipping the Rafale F3R variant operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF), giving the Tejas a potential edge in detection range and target tracking capabilities.
Dassault Aviation has confirmed that the Rafale F5, expected to enter service around 2033, will feature a GaN-based AESA radar, an evolution of the current RBE2-AA radar used in the Rafale F3R and F4 standards. The RBE2-AA, with approximately 838 GaAs-based TRMs, is a proven system that offers robust detection, tracking, and compatibility with advanced weapons like the Meteor beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile. However, its GaAs technology is less efficient and generates more heat than GaN, limiting its performance against next-generation threats, particularly stealth aircraft. The planned GaN-based RBE2 XG radar for the Rafale F5 will enhance power output, thermal management, and resistance to electronic countermeasures, aligning it with future combat requirements.
Dassault’s roadmap for the Rafale F5 includes additional upgrades, such as more powerful engines, integration of the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile, and collaboration with an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV). These enhancements aim to maintain the Rafale’s relevance beyond 2060, particularly for the French Air and Space Force and export customers like India, Egypt, and the UAE. However, the F5’s GaN radar is still in the development phase, with operational deployment at least seven years behind India’s timeline for the Tejas MkII and Mk1A.
The Tejas MkII, a 4.5-generation medium-weight fighter, is set to be the first Indian jet to fly with a GaN-based AESA radar in 2026, following its prototype rollout in late 2025. With a larger nose cone than the Tejas Mk1A, the MkII can accommodate the Uttam radar’s 912–968 TRMs, delivering approximately 20% greater peak power (around 9,120 W) than the earlier GaAs-based Uttam Mk1 (7,360 W with 736 TRMs). This translates to an estimated detection range of over 150 km for a 2m² radar cross-section (RCS) target, potentially surpassing the Rafale’s RBE2-AA, which has a reported range of 200 km. The MkII’s radar will also support the Astra MkIII (Gandiva) BVR missile, with a range of 300–350 km, further enhancing its air combat capabilities.
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