One of the areas where the People’s Republic of China is devoting significant efforts is the expansion of its airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) capabilities. This is evidenced by the development of a series of new AEW&C aircraft designed to equip both the Navy (PLAN) and the Air Force of the People’s Liberation Army (PLAAF), with the new KJ-3000 standing out in this regard. The aircraft is currently undergoing flight testing and evaluations.
Recently, and following the confirmation of its first test flights at the end of last December—which coincided with the appearance of new stealth aircraft produced by Chengdu and Shenyang—new images of the KJ-3000 have gone viral on social media. These are, to date, the clearest images available of the AEW&C aircraft developed to equip the Air Force of the Asian giant.
Despite the secrecy surrounding its development, some details about this new platform are known. It is expected to complement the Shaanxi KJ-2000, which are based on Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft and currently represent the most advanced AEW&C platforms in service with the PLAAF.
Unlike the KJ-2000, however, the KJ-3000 would use as its base the most modern strategic transport aircraft developed by China’s aerospace industry. Thanks to the maturity of its design, this aircraft has been adapted to fulfill new roles and functions.
Thus, the KJ-3000 is based on the Y-20B, a version derived from the original Y-20A, and is equipped with Shenyang WS-20 engines. It features a powerful AESA radar mounted on its fuselage, in line with what has been seen on the KJ-2000, as well as other Russian and American designs such as the A-50 and E-3 Sentry, respectively.
Thanks to the aforementioned viral images, one of the program’s aircraft was observed at an undisclosed airfield, still wearing its primer paint and bearing the number “7821” on its fuselage. It is presumed to be the only prototype built to date and the one that carried out the observed test flight at the end of 2024.
Despite the low quality and pixelation of the footage, the radar radome mounted on the top of the fuselage is clearly visible, along with an extensive array of antennas and modifications similar to those seen on the KJ-2000. Of particular note are the air intakes on the upper section of the fuselage, which are believed to serve as cooling systems for the various electronic components housed within the KJ-3000.
Beyond these new visual details, no further information has been disclosed regarding the aircraft’s capabilities or the specific motivations behind its development. However, it can be inferred that the program responds to the growing needs of the People’s Republic of China in line with the expansion of its spheres of influence and strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. This requires platforms that provide the Armed Forces and national command and control centers, including high-level decision-makers, with full situational awareness in a complex and contested theater of operations.
Although the specific type of radar used by the aircraft remains unknown, the KJ-3000 is believed to be equipped with some of the most advanced AESA sensors developed by China, along with various systems designed for signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection, surveillance, and reconnaissance. If fitted with a radar similar to that of the KJ-2000, it could offer a detection range of up to approximately 500 kilometers.
Finally, as previously noted following the first recorded flight of the KJ-3000, this aircraft is yet another example of the significant efforts China is making in this field through the incorporation of new AEW&C platforms. These include the advanced development of the KJ-500 and KJ-700—based on the Shaanxi Y-9 airframe—as well as the future KJ-600, which is intended for deployment from the aircraft carrier Fujian.
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