i think it is due to wiring, as an aesa needs alot of power, cooling and wires
and a mechanical gimbal might pinch the wires
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Also possible. @Gunjob or @Flame2512 might know a bit more of why a swashplate was picked
Interestingly, the Chinese have shown their KLJ-7A AESA radar in fixed, swashplate, or multi-array configurations:
Spoiler:
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I asked the BAE rep at an airshow why they used a swash plate instead of a typical gimbal and he didn’t give me a meaningful answer. So not really sure TBH
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Probs not a question they were expecting to field lol. Does seem like the only other AESA with a repositionner I can find uses a swashplate as well, so clearly theres a reason its used for AESA’s.
im not sure but i think a swash plate is much lighter than using a gimbal.
the fixed and multi array one is the same, you can see covers on your first image, where on the 3rd it has extra arrays
the issue, at least for the EF/ gripen, might not be weight but size
the swash plate seems to be more compact, but a bit less flexible compared to a normal mechanical gimbal
Yeah I know, I was speaking of the configuration.
A multi array radar is just a fixed radar someone smacked some extra arrays on, but we still define them as different configurations because they perform differently…
APG-77 also has room for and at one point allegedly plans for a multi-array upgrade to it, despite nominally being a fixed array.
Spoiler
fair enough
in reality the normal fixed array one will just be the budged version
Id guess reliability and simplicity
Correct me if im wrong, but a typical radar likely requires multiple motors or actuators to provide the full range of motion. that is both heavy and requires a lot of maintainence.
A swashplate though is far more simple, requiring only 2? motors that can likely be electrical rather than mechanical. Easier maintainance, better precesion, etc etc. Also probably a lot more durable and maybe also be easier to remove
Only need 1 actually, though they might have more for increased reliability.
Even better then. Couldnt recall if it need 1 per axis (is 2 axis right?)
But if its just 1. Then its even better still
The input to a swashplate is simply single axis rotation, with the output being reciprocal motion, so you’d only need 1 motor as long as its reversible.
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Probably AES antennas itself are just chonker and heavier and can’t be held by electric drive like PESAs
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Also I guess it probably makes the wiring to the antenna easier / more robust.
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That’s already in the game. IRIS-T SLM
I have a feeling I had that happen to 4 of my brimstones recently. At once.
White line is PIRATE… Just saying.
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I thought the CAPTOR-E had a Dual-Swashplate system? Every Swashplate has 20° inclination so you can either turn it 40° outwards in every direction (20° per swashplate) or exactly frontal (both swashplates 180° opposite so they cancel each other out).