China has shown the radar of the future: AI sees through interference, as in a "clear sky"

Sunday, 14 September 2025

China has shown the radar of the future: AI sees through interference, as in a "clear sky"

The concept of an AI radar on a J-20 fighter

Not just a radar, but a mind on board

China has tested a new radar system that does not work the old—fashioned way - by sorting out signals, but thinking. Its main feature is artificial intelligence, which is able to analyze the electromagnetic background in real time and identify real targets among noise and interference. This approach radically changes the capabilities of Chinese aviation, especially in conditions when the enemy is trying to "blind" radars with powerful suppression.

The radar is already being tested on combat aircraft, although it has not yet been disclosed which platforms are being used.

How AI catches targets where others are going blind

Conventional radars lose their range in case of strong interference, confuse false targets with real ones, or turn off altogether. The new AI system does something else: it is trained to recognize the behavior of signals, to understand where an attempt at disguise is and where a real threat is.

Even if the enemy has jammed the airwaves, the radar continues to scan the spectrum, filter out debris and find "traces" of planes, missiles or drones. In fact, it doesn't wait for a clean signal — it restores it.

The end of the electronic warfare era?

Electronic warfare (EW) has been a key element of air supremacy for decades. Suppressor aircraft, like the American EA-18G Growler, could paralyze the enemy's air defenses. Now, such tactics may lose their effectiveness.

If an AI radar can work through interference, then suppressor aircraft will become less dangerous. This means that the advantage goes to those who "think" better, and not to those who "shout" louder on the air.

What does this mean for fighter jets and air defense

Such a radar can be installed on both fighter jets (for example, the J-20) and AWACS aircraft like the KJ-500. In the first case, the pilot gets an advantage in the exchange of blows. In the second case, the entire air group begins to "see" further and more accurately, even under heavy electronic fire.

This is not just a technological breakthrough. This is a step towards a complete restructuring of aviation tactics, where the one with the smarter car will win.

Sources

Sunday, 14 September 2025