Military radar systems have evolved into one of the most critical technologies in modern warfare, enabling real-time surveillance, target acquisition, threat tracking, missile guidance, and integrated air and missile defence across land, naval, airborne, and space domains.
Over the years, military radar systems have evolved from standalone surveillance sensors into intelligent, multifunction sensing platforms that form the backbone of integrated air and missile defence, network-centric warfare, and multi-domain operations.
In a major market shift, Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars have been replacing mechanically scanned radars for nearly three decades. Defence forces are upgrading legacy fourth-generation aircraft, naval platforms, and ground-based air defence systems with advanced AESA radars to extend platform service life and improve operational effectiveness.
The major transformation today is no longer the replacement of mechanically scanned radars with AESA. That transition has largely been underway since the early 2000s and is now mature across advanced air, naval and ground platforms. Instead, the market has entered a second modernisation cycle, where first-generation AESA radars are themselves being replaced or upgraded with software-defined, GaN-based, multifunction radar systems designed for network-centric and multi-domain warfare.
Defence forces are upgrading legacy fourth-generation aircraft, naval platforms, and ground-based air defence systems with advanced AESA radars to extend platform service life and improve operational effectiveness.
The role of military radars is also expanding from dedicated surveillance or fire-control functions to multifunction systems capable of simultaneously performing surveillance, target tracking, missile guidance, electronic warfare support, and communication tasks, reducing the need for multiple standalone sensors.
Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), electronic warfare capabilities, and network-centric architectures is transforming radars into intelligent sensing nodes that can share real-time data across joint force networks, enabling faster and more informed decision-making. Growing security challenges, including the proliferation of counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles, and advanced integrated air and missile defence requirements, are further accelerating investments in next-generation military radar systems capable of detecting, tracking, and engaging increasingly complex and high-speed threats.
Military Radar Systems – Market and Technology Forecast to 2034 focuses on the current and next generation of advanced military radar systems. It analyses the market dynamics associated with the transition from first-generation AESA radars to software-defined, GaN-based, multifunction radar architectures, as well as the integration of artificial intelligence, advanced signal processing, sensor fusion, and network-centric operations. The study evaluates how defence forces are modernising legacy platforms with advanced radar upgrades while investing in next-generation sensing capabilities to address evolving operational requirements.Single User License: This license allows for use of a report by one person. This person may use the report on any computer, and may print out the report, but may not share the report (or any information contained therein) with any other person or persons. Unless a Departmental License, a Site License or a Global Site License is purchased, a Single User License must be purchased for every person that wishes to use the report within the same enterprise. Customers who infringe these license terms are liable for a Global Site license fee.
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| Study Code: | MF262962 |
| Publication date: | July 14, 2026 |
| Pages: | 249 |