Indigenously Built Virupaksha AESA Radar Set for Flight Testing

India's indigenous Virupaksha Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar has successfully completed ground testing and is now preparing for upcoming flight trials. The radar system is being integrated onto a Hawker 800 platform to facilitate performance evaluations in an airborne environment. This development is a key component of India's extensive Super Sukhoi modernization program, aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force.

The Virupaksha system utilizes Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, which offers superior thermal management, power efficiency, and detection range compared to legacy systems. As a critical indigenous effort, the AESA radar development underscores a broader national push to reduce reliance on foreign-sourced defense hardware. Successful implementation in the flight trial phase would mark a major step in the modernization of India's critical aerial combat assets.

Strengthening the domestic defense manufacturing base remains a core objective of the national modernization initiative. The transition from ground testing to flight trials represents the transition from laboratory development to operational readiness. Indian military planners and the aviation sector anticipate that the successful testing of this radar will enhance the situational awareness and target detection efficiency of the modernized aircraft fleet as part of the ongoing Super Sukhoi modernization project.