CSIST also showcased its new aerial tow targets at this year’s TADTE. Unfortunately I forgot to take the brochure, which can be seen in the above photo, and so I do not know their designations nor have the specs. Anyway, although their nose sections look almost identical, their tails imply that they are a radar target (left in the picture below) and an infra-red radar-augmented target (right), respectively.
This reminds me of the RTT-9 radar target used on AIDC’s single Astra SPX (now called Gulfstream G100). The standard RTT-9 (pictured below) is constructed of glass reinforced plastic. Corner reflectors in the nose and/or tail provide passive radar augmentation. The RTT-9 can be converted into an infrared radar-augmented target by fitting the SMU-114 burner kit. Fitting a 600,000-candlepower nose-mounted lamp converts the standard RTT-9 into a light-augmented target to be used with weapon systems without radar or IR aiming capabilities. I am not sure if CSIST’s tow target is as versatile as the RTT-9.
AIDC also has the TDK-39 aerial gunnery target in its inventory. The TDK-39 target consists of a forebody constructed of aluminum and a string-sleeve visual augmenter. When the visual augmenter is fully deployed, the target measures 42 ft in length, enabling visual acquisition at a distance of 3 km. The Doppler radar scoring sensor in the forebody detects projectiles passing through the conical scoring zone and real-time score information is transmitted via antennae on the tail to the towing aircraft. A release mechanism releases the visual augmenter on commands at the end of the mission. It is not known if CSIST has also developed a gunnery target.
In the next photo (courtesy of AIDC), the A-3 0901 is seen carrying a standard RTT-9 tow target on the RM-30B reeling machine/launcher under the port wing. Under the starboard wing is a 150-gallon external tank.
This is my last post on the subject of TADTE 2009.