The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) YLC-8B is a mobile, high-altitude three dimensional surveillance radar based on Russia’s S-300PMU missile’s radar to detect a wide range of threats, including ballistic missiles and aircraft, at a range of 200km. YLC-8B is far from an anti-stealth radar Chinese X (formerly Twitter) propaganda.
The radar system, utilising analogue antennas with some digital beam steering, has been integrated onto a wheeled platform to provide mobility and is intended for deployment by the PLA in key areas. The YLC-8B radar was unveiled at the China Air Show in November 2014.
At the airshow, the 14th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) displayed two anti-ballistic missile radars, not an anti-stealth radar, including the YLC-8E high-mobility air defence warning radar and the YLC-2E S-band, 150km-range, multi-role radar.
The YLC-8B is based on the Russian Nebo series VHF radar China received in the early 1990s as part of the S-300 missile procurement agreement. It took almost 24 years for China to reverse-engineer the Nebo very high frequency (VHF) radar using domestically sourced materials. This radar is designed and built to detect high RCS (radar cross section) projectiles and jumbo jet-sized aircraft at high altitude. YLC-8B can detect targets up to 100 square meters. Anything less than 100 square meters of RCS is not detectable by radar.
The modern Western frequency-hopping AESA radar, jamming technology, and combined with stealth technology, make it harder to detect a stealth jet at 300km range using UHF, VHF, and meter-wave frequencies.
EA-18G Growler Radar Jammer
Aircraft like the EA-18G Growler can read, capture and reply back on the same frequency to the originating radar, such as YLC-8B, JY-27A and YLC-2E and introduce more radar frequencies to confuse known algorithms by any Chinese and Russian electromagnetic emitter source. That’s exactly what happened during the US operations that captured Maduro and disabled Chinese and Russian radars.
The EA-18G Growler uses advanced, high-capacity, and digital Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) AESA pods, specifically the AN/ALQ-249(V)1, to neutralize, disrupt, and degrade enemy radar and communication systems. These pods replace the older AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System, offering significantly improved capabilities for multi-target engagement and advanced electronic warfare, with initial deployment starting in 2024-2025.
VHF Radar Effects
A VHF (Very High Frequency) waves have wavelengths ranging from 10 meters to 1 meter. Covering frequencies between 30 MHz and 300 MHz, this “meter band” is commonly used for FM radio, TV broadcasting, and marine communications, favoring long-range, line-of-sight communication over open terrain up to 200km.
VHF (Very High Frequency) radar, typically operating in the 30–300 MHz range (often around 50-60 MHz for atmospheric studies), has a long wavelength (approximately 1–10 meters) that produces unique effects compared to higher-frequency radars. Its primary applications include tracking aircraft, measuring atmospheric dynamics, and detecting meteor trails.
A few VHF radars with no networking, no data processing and no software have zero effect against F-35 stealth aircraft with 0.0001sqm RCS.
The Australian Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) is an advanced Australian over-the-horizon (OTHR) radar system, capable of detecting aircraft and ships at ranges of 1,000–3,000 km, providing 24-hour surveillance of northern/western approaches. Operated by the RAAF, JORN uses high-frequency skywave technology to monitor over 13 million square kilometers.
China, Iran, North Korea or Russia has no radar network that can assist their military to detect incoming aircraft, and missiles.
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