China's updated KG300G pod appears designed for combat rotary units such as the Changhe Z-10 attack helicopter. (Janes)
China has developed a new, updated variant of its KG300G airborne electronic warfare (EW) pod for use by rotary-wing platforms.
The KG300G system has been previously identified with Chinese high-performance combat aircraft. However, on 1 August the state-owned China Central Television (CCTV) aired footage of a Changhe Z-10 attack helicopter equipped with a redesigned version of the pod.
Janes assesses that the new pod is shorter in length and differs in external design from the baseline KG300G pod, which is longer with a cylindrical, streamlined body designed for use with fighter aircraft.
The new KG300G is rectangular, box-like in shape, but with a semi-rounded nose and aft edges. The pod is also equipped with heat sinks on the upper frame, near the mounting pins, and an air intake to support the cooling of electronics. The design of the new pod's square-shaped mounting lugs is also suggestive of its exclusive use by rotary-wing platforms.
The updated KG300G appears to be a product of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), a state-owned electronic manufacturer. CETC has previously showcased the pod at defence exhibitions. In comparison, the original KG300G, which entered service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2007, is a product of the China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC).
The new pod is expected to have the core features of the baseline KG300G. As a self-protection jammer, the baseline KG300G is capable of locating and identifying emitter source targets. The system can counter identified threats by executing various inbuilt jamming techniques. The pod is also capable of being integrated with existing electronic support subsystems involving a radar warning receiver and a countermeasures dispensing system.
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