New imagery of China's KJ-3000 reveals key features

A KJ-3000 prototype, numbered 7821, has been conducting flight tests since late 2024. (Janes)

Imagery of China's new Xi'an KJ-3000 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform has revealed new details about a platform, which could replace China's ageing Xi'an KJ-2000 AEW aircraft.

Images of the KJ-3000 in flight first appeared in late 2024. However, a recent image of the aircraft parked on the ground has shown that it includes an improved radar configuration and greater operational capabilities. If the platform matures, it will replace the KJ-2000 and even some production units of the Shaanxi KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft that are in service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The KJ-3000 is based on the Xi'an Y-20B transport aircraft, which is powered by four domestically developed and new Shenyang WS-20 two-shaft high-bypass-ratio turbofan engines.

China has mentioned the development of the KJ-3000 for several years. In March 2019 the chief designer of the Y-20, Tang Changhong, first revealed that the Y-20 platform could be used as the basis for a new AEW&C variant.

The new image of the KJ-3000, which appeared on Chinese social media in May 2025, shows the aircraft had the serial number 7821 and carried a green-yellow primer colour scheme that is standard for prototype aircraft.

Radar system

Photographed while parked at an undisclosed location, the aircraft was partially obscured by foliage. However, the aircraft's radome was visible, with markings on the feature indicating that it houses two back-to-back radar arrays of a potentially new radar system.

In contrast, the PLA's older KJ-2000 fleet is equipped with the three-sided K/LLQF01 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system. The K/LLQF01, which has 360° coverage, is a product of Chinese Electronics Technology Corporation (CETC) No 14 Research Institute.