Zaslon S-800 radar

Fact for 17/6/2021

FACTS

6/16/2021

The Zaslon is a Pulse-Doppler radar with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA) antenna and digital signal processing . Developed between 1975 and 1980 by the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design as part of the weapons control system of the MiG-31 supersonic interceptor. The NATO codename for the radar is Flash Dance with the designations "SBI-16", "RP-31", "N007" and "S-800" also being associated with the radar

Specifications

The antenna used by the Zaslon is actually a multi-channel system comprising two separate electronically controlled arrays, an X-band radar with 1700 emitters and a L-band transponder with 64 emitters brought together into a single antenna , The X-band components of the radar uses reciprocal ferrite phase shifters that allow the radar to position beams in around 1.2 ms. This high performance is one of the big advantages of phased array radars compared with the previous generation of mechanically scanned arrays which take seconds to perform the same functions as a phased array. The detection performance of the Zaslon radar is stated to be 200 km against a target with a Radar cross section (RCS) of 16 m2, the radar can track up to 10 targets while engageing 4 of those at any one time with either R-33 radar guided or R-40, R-60 IR guided air to air missiles.
 The Zaslon radar was publicly unveiled at the 1991 Paris Airshow with its associated MiG-31 interceptor, the Russians even removing the radome of the fighter to allow the Zaslon's revolutionary antenna to be seen. Also at Paris was the US F-117 Nighthawk (revolutionary for its use of stealth technology) which the Russians suggested should take to the air with the MiG-31 to see if the Zaslon could detect the F-117. Unfortunately no such contest was ever conducted though Russian experts were confident that Zaslon would have been able to detect the F-117 during flight . it had 3 varients - Zaslon-A , Zaslon-M and Zaslon-AM