Shaanxi KJ-500A
For the first time, the Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation (SAC) KJ-500A (High New10) prototype has been photographed with clearer images. It has the Chinese Flight Test Evaluation (CFTE) serial number 7310 on the fuselage and was formerly known only by a few blurry images.
Scramble Magazine reported on 11 September 2018 on satellite images showing two KJ-500s with In-Flight Refuelling (IFR) probes being tested at Xi’an Yanliang (China).
Based on the SAC Y-9 platform and some hardware of the SAC KJ-200, the original "balance beam" radar antenna was replaced by a fixed rotodome containing three AESA antennas arranged in a triangular configuration, a design similar to that of KJ-2000 in order to provide a full 360° coverage and utilises new digital array radar technology. As the result it is as capable as the AESA radar onboard KJ-2000 but lighter and smaller enough to be carried by the Y-9 platform. Thus the aircraft is cheaper to produce and operate compared to the KJ-2000.
Rotodomes of different shapes were evaluated onboard a Shaanxi Y-8CE radar testbed, and a circular dish shape was selected as the final configuration. A SATCOM antenna has been integrated to the top of the rotodome as well. It also has large nose and tail radomes which could house additional radar antennas to cover both forward and rear hemispheres. Similar to High New8 (Y-8), it features two large rectangular bar shaped fairings housing ESM/ELINT antennas (multi-baseline interferometers) on both sides of the rear fuselage. Therefore the aircraft can fly the ELINT mission as well.
These images clearly indicate that it is a long endurance variant with an IFR probe installed on top of the port side of the cabin. A small turret housing a FLIR camera and a night IFR lamp is installed on the other side of the cabin. At least two were built/converted by August 2018.
The first KJ-500A entered service with the PLAAF in September 2020, wearing low-visibility insignia.
According to the Scramble Magazine Air Order of Battle for the People's Liberation Army - Air Force (PLAAF, Chinese Air Force), KJ-500s are based at Jiujiang/Lushan with the 76th Regiment (Eastern Theatre Command) and at Lhasa/Gonggar and Shigatse/Peace Airport-Xigaze East with the Western Theatre Command.