View source for Type 346 radar

{{short description|Chinese active electronically scanned radar system}}
{{Infobox radar
|name        = Type 346
|image       = Bridge of CNS Changchun (DDG-150).jpg
|caption     = The Type 346 radar antennas with their convex covering panels on the superstructure of a [[Type 052C destroyer]].
|country     = China
|introdate   =
|number      =
|type        = Air search
|frequency   = [[S band]]
|range       = 400 km (Type 346A){{sfn|Caldwell|Freda|Goldstein|2020|p=8}}
|altitude    =
|diameter    =
|azimuth     =
|elevation   =
|precision   =
|power       =
}}
The '''Type 346 radar''' ([[NATO]]/[[Office of the Secretary of Defense|OSD]] '''Dragon Eye''') is a naval [[S band]]{{sfn|Caldwell|Freda|Goldstein|2020|p=8}} [[active electronically scanned array]] (AESA) [[radar]] developed in the [[People's Republic of China]] by the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology. It has been an integral component of Chinese naval air defense systems since entering service in 2004{{sfn|Kirchberger|2015|p=196}} with the [[Type 052C destroyer]],{{sfn|Kirchberger|2022|p=86}} the first Chinese warships with area air defence capability.<ref name="Cole">{{cite journal |last1=Cole |first1=Bernard D. |title=What Do China's Surface Fleet Developments Suggest about Its Maritime Strategy? |url=https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-red-books/13/ |journal=CSMI Red Book |date=July 2017 |volume=14 |pages=23 |publisher=[[Naval War College|United States Naval War College]] |isbn=978-1-935352-45-7 |access-date=22 May 2019 }}</ref>
==Development ==
The Type 346 was developed by the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology{{refn|group=nb|The Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technology was once known as Research Institute 14. After 1992, it became the National Defence Science and Technology Key Laboratory for Antennas and Microwave Technology. It is China's leading radar research establishment.{{sfn|Tate|2017|p=6}}}} Further development may have been assisted by the examination of foreign technology; the [[Type 051C destroyer]]s used [[S-300_missile_system#Radar|30N6EI Tombstone phased-array Flap Lid antennae]] from [[Russia]], and in 2004 a prototype C band active phased-array radar and its design package were purchased from the Kvant Design Bureau of [[Ukraine]].{{sfn|Kirchberger|2022|pp=85-86}}
==Variants==
; Type 346
: Initial version. The arrays are covered by convex panels. It entered service with the Type 052C destroyer.{{sfn|Kirchberger|2022|p=86}}
; Type 346A
: This version has a reported range of 400 km.{{sfn|Caldwell|Freda|Goldstein|2020|p=8}} and uses flat covering panels. It entered service with the [[Type 052D destroyer]].{{sfn|Kirchberger|2022|p=86}}
; Type 346B
: This version uses panels that are 40% larger than the Type 346A for a reported 60% increase in range. It entered service with the [[Type 055 destroyer]].{{sfn|Caldwell|Freda|Goldstein|2020|p=8}}
==See also==
*[[List of radars#People's Republic of China|List of Chinese radars]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}
== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist|2}}
=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite report |last1 = Caldwell |first1 = Daniel |last2 = Freda |first2 = Joseph |last3 = Goldstein |first3 = Lyle J. |date = February 2020 |title = China's Dreadnought? The PLA Navy's Type 055 Cruiser and Its Implications for the Future Maritime Security Environment |series = CMSI China Maritime Reports |volume = 5 |url = https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-maritime-reports/5/ |publisher = [[Naval War College|United States Naval War College]] |access-date = 9 April 2020 }}
* {{cite book |last=Kirchberger |first=Sarah |date=2015 |title=Assessing China's Naval Power: Technological Innovation, Economic Constraints, and Strategic Implications |series=Global Power Shift |url= |location= |publisher=Springer |page= |isbn=978-3-662-47127-2 }}
* {{cite book |editor-last1=Kirchberger |editor-first1=Sarah |editor-last2=Sinjen |editor-first2=Svenja |editor-last3=Wörmer |editor-first3=Nils |date=2022 |title=Russia-China Relations: Emerging Alliance or Eternal Rivals? |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-97012-3 |series=Global Power Shift |chapter=Russian-Chinese Military-Technological Cooperation and the Ukrainian Factor |last=Kirchberger |first=Sarah |chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-97012-3_5 |location= |publisher=Springer |page=75-100 |isbn=978-3-030-97012-3}}
* {{Cite report |last1=Tate |first1=Andrew |date=2017 |title=China heads for a step change in naval capabilities |url=https://www.janes.com/images/assets/621/75621/China_heads_for_a_step_change_in_naval_capabilities.pdf |publisher=Jane's 360 |access-date=28 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713134822/http://www.janes.com/images/assets/621/75621/China_heads_for_a_step_change_in_naval_capabilities.pdf |archive-date=13 July 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}
{{refend}}
[[Category:Naval radars]]
[[Category:Sea radars]]
[[Category:Military radars of the People's Republic of China]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 2000s]]