Russia Debuts New AI-Powered AESA Radar to Boost Attack Helicopter Lethality

Russia has showcased its new Arbalet-AM multi-mode airborne radar system—a platform intended for helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft integration—at the Dubai Airshow, Defense Mirror reported on December 2.

The system features an active phased array (AESA) radar that enables enhanced low-probability-of-intercept performance and stable target tracking even in heavy electronic-warfare and jamming environments.

Developers say the system’s use of artificial intelligence improves recognition and classification of air, ground, and maritime targets, reducing the time required for pilots to make decisions in combat.

The Arbalet-AM includes a synthetic aperture mode for detecting and categorizing ground targets. Its performance parameters are said to be close to the Rezets radar used in the fire-control system of the Ka-52M attack and reconnaissance helicopter.

A notable feature of the new radar is its ability to control unmanned aerial vehicles using a narrow beam, improving communication resistance against electronic interference, according to the developers. They claim the system significantly improves the survivability and combat effectiveness of aircraft equipped with it.

The Rezets radar was originally announced in 2019 and is built with a fixed 900×300 mm AESA antenna containing 640 transceiver modules.

The manufacturer states it can detect a group of tanks at 45 km, a railway bridge at 100 km, and a destroyer-class warship at 150 km. In air-to-air mode, it can reportedly detect a fighter with a 3 sq m radar cross section from up to 50 km and a hovering helicopter from 20 km.

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The Rezets weighs approximately 130 kg, making it 10 kg lighter than the FH01 radar currently used on the base Ka-52. The system is air-cooled, utilizing a scoop located on the helicopter’s nose fairing.

It remains unclear whether the Arbalet-AM is intended to fully replace the Rezets radar or will serve only aircraft configured for specialized roles.

Earlier, Russia completed deliveries of upgraded Vikhr-1 guided missiles for its Ka-52 attack helicopters as part of a 2025 state contract.

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