Thales Unveils Compact Airborne AESA Concept Aimed at Light Combat Aircraft Market

“(Paris – August 14, 2025) – According to the company’s materials and briefings at recent industry events, Thales has introduced a compact airborne active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar concept designed for light combat aircraft (LCA). A formal, detailed press release with model names and performance metrics was not immediately available, but the initiative is in line with Thales’ broader radar roadmap and the market’s major trend towards lighter, lower-power fire-control sensors for export platforms.

Space and technology legacy

Thales continues to field fighter-class AESA with the RBE2 on France’s Rafale, a mature, in-service fire-control radar that anchors the company’s high-end offering. In parallel, Thales has developed ultra-compact AESA surveillance sensors such as the AirMaster C/S for small aircraft, helicopters and UAVs – Technology which showcases miniaturization, GaN electronics and low-power operation in compact form factors. The newly flagged LCA-oriented concept draws on these building blocks, targeting airframes where size, weight, power and cost (SWaP-C) are at a premium.

• (Thales)

Market Drivers

Air forces seek cheap mass and fast delivery hence the demand for light fighters and advanced trainers configured for combat roles. The radar is the centerpiece of that value proposition: it enables visual-range engagement, high-resolution mapping and maritime modes, while increasingly supporting electronic warfare tasks. Thales’ entry – if brought to market as a dedicated fire-control AESA for LCAs – rivals The offering will diversify options beyond the range, such as Raytheon’s air-cooled PhantomStrike and Leonardo’s Grifo-E, both of which have been introduced directly into export-driven light fighter programs.

Competitive Landscape

• Raytheon PhantomStrike: Designed to be air-cooled and compact, the PhantomStrike has been selected for Korea Aerospace Industries’ FA-50 variants and completed initial flight testing in 2025, emphasizing the time-to-integration advantage for popular LCA platforms.
• Leonardo Grifo-E: An AESA evolution of the widely exported Grifo family, designed for legacy upgrades and light/new-build fighters that require modern air-to-air and air-to-surface modes not common with SWaP.
• Thales Heritage: At the top end, the RBE2 equips the Rafale fleet; at the lighter ISR end, the Airmaster line demonstrates Thales’ ability to shrink AESA apertures and process for compact platforms. The newly signaled LCA concept will bridge that gap with a purpose-built fire-control set.

Potential Features and Integration Paths

While Thales has not disclosed specifications, the company’s recent demonstrations at the Paris Air Show have highlighted new radar building blocks and processing architectures that could flow into the LCA radar line. Expect modular front-ends using GaN transmit/receive modules, agile multimode waveforms, and growth hooks for passive/active EW functions – increasingly standard features in contemporary fighter AESAs.

Potential Platforms

Thales’ LCA-class AESA will target export programs Where nose volume and cooling capacity are limited – examples include FA-50-class derivatives, M-346-class combat trainers and legacy Western or Eastern types undergoing deep avionics modernization. Market appetite is evident in Asia, the Middle East and Europe as services seek reliable BVR capability without the cost and logistics of a heavyweight multi-role jet.

• Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master, a twin-engine transonic advanced jet trainer and light combat aircraft, pictured in flight. Its advanced fly-by-wire controls, modern With a cockpit interface and robust safety systems, the M-346 is a potential candidate for integration of Thales’ new compact AESA radar – enhancing its light combat capabilities with improved target acquisition, tracking and all-weather engagement performance. (Adrian Pingstone/Wikimedia)

Analysis: Advantages and trade-offs

Advantages The compact Thales AESA could bring Rafale-lineage algorithms and European exportability to a smaller fleet, potentially simplifying certification paths with European weapons and datalinks. It could also appeal to operators seeking supplier diversity beyond US export controls.

Disadvantages The late entry means Thales will have to demonstrate rapid, low-risk integration on popular airframes that are already pursuing other radars. Without air-cooling or similarly minimal cooling demands, on tight LCA bays Installation can be challenging. Costs will be scrutinized against heavily invested US and Italian rivals. To hit aggressive SWaP-C targets.

Bottom line. If Thales translates its compact AESA concept into a flight-proven, export-cleared fire-control radar with streamlined integration kits, it will give the Air Force a credible European option in the LCA segment and intensify competition on features, schedule, and price.

What to watch for next

• Formal product announcement: Look for the named product, antenna aperture size, cooling method (air vs. liquid), and mode set (A/A, A/G synthetic aperture, marine, GMTI).
• Early integration partners: A letter of understanding with a platform OEM or upgrade house is a clear sign of near-term adoption.
• Demonstrations and flight tests: Public flight trials – such as the RTX’s 2025 Phantomstrike sorties – will validate the performance claims and de-risk the export campaign.

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