Electronically Scanned Array Market Size, Share & Growth Analysis

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An Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) is an advanced antenna system that uses electronic adjustments to steer its beam rather than mechanical movement, enabling rapid, precise targeting and tracking. ESAs are crucial in radar, defense, and satellite communications, as they allow real-time, multi-target tracking and quick directional changes. The technology includes two main types: Passive ESAs (PESAs), which use a single source for all elements, and Active ESAs (AESAs), which have individual transmitters and receivers for each element, providing greater flexibility and higher resolution. These arrays are integral to modern military, weather, and satellite systems for their speed, accuracy, and reliability.

Electronically Scanned Array Market Size & Growth

The Global Electronically Scanned Arrays Market Size was valued at USD 7.4 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach USD 10.4 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period. The Electronically Scanned Array Industry is driven by factors such as increasing adoption of electronically scanned array in Defense & commercial aircrafts, marine vessels, weather stations, airport surveillance, unmanned vehicles, satellites, etc.

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COVID-19 has led to several challenges for many industries. The Aerospace & defense industry is no exception to that. The budget allotted to the defense sector has been reduced by several countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This puts most research projects on hold. The export of electronically scanned array to several countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America has also been reduced. All these scenarios affect the development of electronically scanned array.

Electronically Scanned Array Market Dynamics

Driver: Increasing number of radar upgradation contracts

Major militaries in the world are investing in the upgradation programs of their defense equipment like air defense systems, navy vessels, equipment for homeland security, and fighter aircraft. This upgradation is carried out to improve the performance of all those equipment. The upgradation of surveillance & tracking systems and navigation systems installed in that military equipment is one of the most important factors that improve their performance. An electronically scanned array is the most advanced antenna technology that improves the tracking, surveillance, and navigation capabilities of this military equipment. Hence, there is a huge demand for their installation, which is expected to drive their market during the forecast period.

In 2021, the Royal Air Force of the UK signed an upgradation contract with Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy) and BAE Systems (UK) to upgrade their Eurofighter Typhoon Jets with ECRS Mk2 Active electronically scanned array radars.

Opportunity : Geopolitical instability

Geopolitical instabilities in various countries across the globe have led to increased defense budgets of these countries. The number of active conflicts has also increased globally, especially in the last five years. Some of the ongoing conflicts include the Russia-Ukraine war, the India-Pakistan dispute, the US-China dispute, the China-India dispute, and the China-Taiwan dispute. Electronically scanned array-based radars are preferred to counter navy and air force-guided missiles fired from missile defense systems. The rise in the number of such conflicts across the globe is expected to drive the demand and motivation for improvements in radar systems by the implementation of electronically scanned array in the near future.

Challenges : Stringent policies of cross-border trading

Governments across regions are extremely vigilant in authorizing the trade of defense equipment and technologies, including radars. Defense equipment manufacturers need to comply with various rules and regulations pertaining to the sale of products and services laid down by the respective governments. Non-compliance with them can result in severe consequences, including the imposition of fines and penalties, termination of contracts, and civil or criminal investigations. Geopolitical unrest strains trade relations between countries.

Some countries may impose trade restrictions on domestic companies, forbidding them to export defense products to countries with whom they have ongoing disputes. For instance, Japan imposed restrictions on all the defense equipment manufacturing companies and government organizations in the country and refrained from exporting arms or ammunition to any country across the globe. This restriction was imposed since World War II until September 2020, when Mitsubishi Electric (Japan) secured a contract to provide air surveillance electronically scanned array to the Philippine Air Force.

Electronically Scanned Array Market Segments

Electronically scanned array used in aircrafts to lead the electronically scanned array market during the forecast period

Airborne electronically scanned arrays are used to track land vehicles, aircraft, and enemy ammunition. Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems use electronically scanned array radar for command and coordination on the battlefield. These radars are used in both defensive and offensive military operations.

The air platform segment is further segmented into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fixed-wing aircraft, and rotary-wing aircraft.

A fixed-wing aircraft is propelled by a screw propeller or a high-velocity jet and is supported by the dynamic reaction of the air against its wings. Any type of aircraft that has been designed for military use is a military fixed-wing aircraft. Military aircraft can be of two types.

Combat aircraft: These are designed to destroy enemy equipment using their aircraft ordnance. Combat aircraft are typically developed and procured only by military forces.

Non-combat aircraft: These are not designed for combat as their primary function but may carry weapons for self-defense. These mainly operate in support roles and may be developed by either military forces or civilian organizations.

Military fighter jets such as the F-16 and Eurofighter Typhoon are equipped with some of the most advanced electronically scanned array radars. These aircraft require radar with a high speed of computation and accuracy; they typically use X-band electronically scanned array.

Military rotary-wing aircraft have mission-critical operational demands and space constraints, unlike any other platform. They are used for ground support, transport of assault troops, offensive air support, control of aircraft and missiles, and short-distance transport and surveillance.

The rotary-wing aircraft use K-band and C-band electronically scanned arrays for navigation and communication.

UAVs are increasingly being utilized to carry out the unmanned aerial study of target areas like forests and oceans for scientific research and ISR operations across battlefields to gather intelligence regarding enemy as well as friendly forces. UAVs are equipped with navigation electronically scanned array to locate targets in rough terrain and critical weather conditions.

In 2019, MetaSensing (Netherlands) developed and successfully demonstrated the SDO-50V2 UAV equipped with the MetaSAR-L-UAM for intelligence activities. Primary applications of the system include stability monitoring of mines, infrastructure, and construction sites.

Single band frequency segment to command the electronically scanned array market by frequency band during the forecast period

Single band frequencies are further classified into VHF band, L-band, S-band, C-band, X-band, and K-band.

Very high frequency (VHF) bands range from 30-1,000 MHz and are preferred for long-range surveillance and tracking. They are used for their capability of providing large bandwidth, which is required to obtain high-definition signals and find applications in early warning radar such as ballistic missile radar to track missiles and satellites. These frequencies are also used in foliage/ground penetration, and biomass-penetrating electronically scanned array. As these frequencies are least affected by rain or cloudburst, they can be used in weather forecasting equipment such as wind profilers.

L-band electronically scanned array radar senses a frequency ranging between 1 GHz and 2 GHz with a wavelength ranging from 15-30 cm. This band is widely used in the space-based platform due to its capability for long-range applications, while it is used in the airborne platform due to the tactical data link application. This type of band is also used in radio astronomy for an interstellar communication system. It is widely used in military aircraft electronically scanned array radar as it causes lesser signal interference due to heavy rain fading.

S-band electronically scanned array radar detects frequencies ranging between 2 GHz and 4 GHz with a wavelength of 7.5 cm to 15 cm and is used for moderate range surveillance and in air traffic control with a medium range of 100 km. They can detect aircraft and weather conditions in both, civilian and military airspace. This band is also used in active meteorological disaster areas as it is not influenced by climatic conditions as compared to X-band.

The C-band electronically scanned array radar frequency lies between 4 GHz and 8 GHz, and its wavelength ranges from 3.75-7.5 cm. This band is used as a satellite transponder as well as for long-range military battlefield & ground surveillance. These bands provide improved accuracy and resolution. C-bands are generally affected by extreme weather conditions, thus hampering their performance. These electronically scanned arrays use circular polarization with a single source feed. They are also used for rain detection in regions with temperate climates, such as in Europe.

• X-band electronically scanned array radar operates within the frequency range of 8.0-12.0 GHz and wavelength of 2.5-3.75 cm. These radars are of two types: mobile-based and sea-based. They are used by militaries for situational awareness, which involves locating and predicting the impact of rockets, artilleries, and mortars, as well as target searching and tracking. They are also used for the detection of hidden weapons for security purposes, wave observation to avoid storms, and aircraft counting and tracking as well as in navigation tools, automotive radar, and fire control radar.
• Electronically scanned array radar plays a vital role in the defense industry. Generally, radar antennas at airports or other ground stations are used to detect approaching enemy aircraft or missiles. The growing emphasis on improving maritime security has created the need for better signal quality, which has resulted in the demand for X-band electronically scanned arrays.
• K-band electronically scanned array radars are available within a frequency range from 24-40 GHz and wavelength between 0.75 cm and 1.11 cm. These bands are primarily used for mapping as they have a short-range and high-resolution imaging capability. They are also used in airport surface detection equipment (ASDE).

Electronically scanned array used in fire control radar to command the market by installation during the forecast period

Fire control radar is used in fixed and rotary-wing military aircraft and a few fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. The use of fire control radar in aircraft is to gather information about azimuth, elevation, and range of the target to the fire system to direct weapons in the right direction. The advantages of using an electronically scanned array in fire control radar are its fast response time and high accuracy.

Companies like Raytheon Technologies (US) and Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy) manufacture electronically scanned array-based fire control radar systems for fighter aircraft. Eurofighter Typhoons of Germany and France are installed with the active electronically scanned array radar named Mk-0 and Mk-1 developed by Thales Group (France). The UK has developed a more advanced active electronically scanned array radar named ECRS Mk-2 for their Typhoon aircraft with the help of Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy) and BAE Systems (UK).

Transceiver module segment to command the electronically scanned array market by component during the forecast period

Traditionally, radio frequency (RF) systems operate at a frequency band of 224 MHz to 94 GHz, which limits the reach of detecting objects that are beyond the range of detection of traditional radars. After the introduction of monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC), ASICs, and the Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, the traditional way of detecting objects has changed. It is the most effective technology, which has the capability to detect aircraft or missiles that are traveling at Mach speed.

Transceiver modules are the main elements of an electronically scanned array that transmits and receives radio waves of fluctuating frequencies, perusing rates, and energy patterns to deliver extremely responsive beam steering. They generate volatile scan patterns, which help in tracking multiple objects instantaneously. Transmit-receive modules cost half the amount of the electronically scanned arrays.

The North America market is projected to contribute the largest share from 2021 to 2026

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Emerging Industry Trends

4D electronically scanned array radar is the latest technology introduced in radar and provides features such as multi-functional surveillance and target acquisition, offering recognized tactical pictures and weapon assignment. The radar uses solid-state, gallium nitride active electronically scanned array sensor technology with multiple digitally formed beams. The electronically scanned array is capable of detecting, tracking, and classifying various types of air targets such as low flying planes, missiles, helicopters etc.

TRML-4D is a 4D electronically scanned array developed by Hensoldt AG (Germany). It has a range of over 250 km, azimuth coverage of 360 degrees, and the capability to detect over 1,500 targets at a time.

In 2021, under a government-to-government deal with the Netherlands, Norway acquired five Thales Ground Master 200 Multi-Mission Compact radars (GM200 MM/C). This procurement equipped the Norwegian Armed Forces with a new mobile artillery location electronically scanned array suitable for their national and international operations. The Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (FMA) and the Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) include an option for three additional GM200 MM/C systems, with a total contract of USD 94 million, with deliveries scheduled for 2023-2024. Thales’ 4D dual-axis multibeam active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the S-band GM200 MM/C, is a palletized system designed for tactical mobility and rapid deployment as well as battlefield air surveillance to support very-short-range/short-range air-defense systems. These radar can be deployed for specific taskings such as artillery counter-battery and weapon locating, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detection and classification, and counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) defense, among others.

Electronically Scanned Array Companies: Top Key Market Players

The Electronically Scanned Array Companies is dominated by globally established players such as:

• SAAB AB (Sweden)
• Raytheon Technologies (US)
• Mitsubishi Electric (Japan)
• Thales Group (France)
• Northrop Grumman Corp. (US)
• Lockheed Martin (US)
• Hensoldt AG (Germany)
• Telephonics Corp. (US)
• Src, Inc. (US)

The report covers various industry trends and new technological innovations in the electronically scanned array market for the period, 2018-2026.

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Scope of the Report

The study categorizes the Electronically scanned array market based on Application, Industry, Solution, End User, and Region.

By Installation

• Fire Control Radar
• Tactical Data Link Radar
• Air Traffic Control Radar
• Others

By Platform

• Air
• Marine
• Land

By Component

• Transceiver module
• Phase Shifters
• Beamforming Network
• Signal Processing Module
• Radar Data Processor
• Others

By Frequency Band

• Single Frequency
• Multifrequency

By Range

• Short range
• Medium Range
• Long Range

By Array Geometry

• Planar Array
• Linear Array
• Frequency Scanning Array

By Dimension

• 2D
• 3D
• 4D

By Type

• Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA)
• Passive Electronically Scanned Array (PESA)

By Region

• North America
• Asia Pacific
• Europe
• Middle East & Africa
• Latin America

Recent Developments

• In March 2020, Northrop Grumman Corporation introduced a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HAMMR), which is a short- to medium-range X-band three dimensional (3D) radar that utilizes the proven active electronically scanned array (AESA) AN/APG-83 F-16 fighter radar in a ground-based sense on-the-move role.
• In October 2020, Thales announced an airborne surveillance radar called the AirMaster C, which is capable of target detection and can be installed on fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs.

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