After showcasing its newly developed indigenous Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar line at Aero India 2025, Chennai-based Data Patterns (India) Limited has attracted significant interest from around the world.
The company is currently being contacted by a number of air forces using Russian-built aircraft, such as the Su-30MKI and MiG-29, to investigate retrofit options. This increase in focus coincides with issues with Russian radar systems’ dependability and shortages of spare parts brought on by protracted supply chain interruptions.
Using cutting-edge Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors, the HAWK-I radar family, which includes the HAWK-I 2700 and HAWK-I 900 variants, represents an advancement in India’s radar capacity. When compared to older radar technologies, these GaN-based systems are renowned for their increased power density, enhanced thermal stability, and longer detection range.
Designed for heavier fighters like the Su-30MKI, the HAWK-I 2700 incorporates over 2,700 Transmit/Receive Modules (TRMs). It has strong situational awareness and long-range engagement capabilities, tracking a 5-square-meter target up to 350 kilometers away.
The Indian Navy’s MiG-29K, TEJAS MK-1, and MiG-29 are among the smaller airframes that the HAWK-I 900 can handle. It provides a reliable domestic substitute for the outdated Russian Zhuk-ME radar with a detection range of more than 150 kilometers, especially in naval operations where reliability problems have been documented.
Comprehensive multi-mode capabilities covering the air-to-air, air-to-surface, and marine domains are provided by both radar types. They greatly improve combat effectiveness and survival since they can easily track numerous targets at once in any weather.
Additionally, dynamic beam steering and advanced electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) are incorporated into the systems to enable sustained performance in densely jammed environments. This makes the HAWK line compatible with a range of platforms and upcoming software updates, especially when combined with their modular architecture.
Due to persistent problems impacting Russia’s defense industrial base, interest in Data Patterns’ radars has grown internationally. Russian radar supply lines have been seriously impacted by the situation in Ukraine, delaying upgrades and making it difficult for various countries to get spare parts for radar families including the N001VEP and Zhuk-ME.
Due to their heavy reliance on Russian fighters, operators in Southeast Asia and the Middle East increasingly see Indian technology as an affordable, dependable, and politically neutral substitute. Data Patterns’ appeal as a plug-and-play upgrade option is further enhanced by its entirely local design, which includes hardware, software, and GaN TRMs created in India.
When compared to imports from outside, the business estimates that its radar solution might save overall modernization costs by 30 to 40 percent.
The HAWK-I 2700 is being assessed domestically as a potential radar for India’s ₹65,000 crore “Super Sukhoi” initiative. The goal of this extensive overhaul is to equip the IAF’s 272 Su-30MKI fighters with cutting-edge avionics, sensors, and weapon integration.
By using the HAWK radar, the aircraft may be able to identify low-observable targets up to 200 kilometers away, bringing its performance closer to that of 4.5-generation fighters like the Rafale.
Both radar systems are now in need of airborne validation even though they have passed rigorous ground testing, including electromagnetic compatibility, cooling, and signal-processing trials. These experiments evaluate radar fidelity and stability in real-world flying conditions, such as vibrations, high-G maneuvers, and various electromagnetic environments.
Data Patterns has formally requested that the Indian Air Force assign a Su-30MKI from the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) for this purpose. In the past, this facility has assisted domestic tests such as the Astra beyond-visual-range missile and the Uttam AESA radar.
The Ministry of Defence’s iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) framework, which was launched in 2024, offers strong approval chances for flight testing. By covering their operational costs, including gasoline, crew, and maintenance, commercial defense companies are able to utilize government-owned test assets.
Airborne trials might be finished by mid-2026 if the idea moves forward as planned. The HAWK series would become a fully qualified, export-ready radar line with successful certification, which would be a significant milestone.
The potential worldwide market for Su-30 and MiG-29 radar improvements is estimated by defense specialists to be worth between USD 5 and USD 7 billion. India is well-positioned to take a significant chunk of this developing market thanks to Data Patterns’ affordable and domestically made radar architecture.
Thus, the HAWK AESA series is a symbol of both strategic autonomy and technological success for India’s private defense sector, turning local innovation into a worldwide potential.
