Modern air operations demand sensors that are fast, resilient, and capable of operating in highly contested environments. Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars form the technological backbone of today’s and tomorrow’s air combat systems.
This is where ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA Nose Radar family, developed indigenously from chip level to system integration, came into play by delivering advanced sensing and engagement capabilities for both manned and unmanned air platforms. Designed to meet the demands of modern and future air operations, MURAD AESA radars provide high performance, multi-mission flexibility, and resilience against electronic warfare.
At the core of this capability is Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, which uses hundreds or thousands of independent transmit/receive modules integrated on a single antenna surface. By electronically steering the radar beam through phase control rather than mechanical movement, AESA radars can reposition the beam within milliseconds and perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
This architecture enables concurrent multi-sector search and multi-target tracking while supporting parallel mission execution. Compared to mechanically scanned radars, AESA systems offer faster response times, greater operational flexibility, and higher reliability, which are considered critical advantages in contested air combat environments.
AESA radars can detect small and low-observable targets at extended ranges, provide agile and accurate tracking, and enhance weapon engagement effectiveness. Their ability to perform search and track functions simultaneously allows continuous situational awareness during engagements. Advanced beam management and high data processing capacity also enable AESA radars to conduct radar, communications, data transmission, and electronic warfare functions on a time-shared basis.
The absence of mechanical steering reduces moving parts, improving reliability while lowering maintenance requirements and lifecycle costs. Independent operation of each transmit/receive module allows continued radar functionality even in the event of module-level failures, without critical performance degradation. Flexible waveform generation across a wide frequency spectrum further supports low probability of intercept operation, enhancing platform survivability.
Within this framework, MURAD 100-A AESA Nose Radar provides electronic beam steering and simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground engagement capabilities, including Beyond Visual Range missile guidance. The radar has successfully demonstrated its performance through flight tests on platforms such as F-16 Özgür, AKINCI UAV, and Bayraktar KIZILELMA, with integration activities ongoing for ANKA-III and additional platforms.
ASELSAN’s AESA technologies have also proven their effectiveness in operational scenarios. In a world-first, an unmanned combat aerial vehicle successfully engaged an airborne target with a Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missile, with ASELSAN systems playing a decisive role throughout the engagement chain. The target was detected and tracked by MURAD AESA Nose Radar, while GÖKDOĞAN missile was guided to a direct hit using ASELSAN’s RF seeker radar.
As digital beamforming, software-defined radar architectures, artificial intelligence-assisted target recognition, and RF convergence continue to evolve; AESA radars will remain central to network-centric and autonomous air operations. In this context, ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA radar family continues to serve as a key enabler of operational effectiveness in modern air combat.
