The KJ-1 was the first-generation AEW aircraft developed by the
People's Republic of China. According to Chinese government claims, a single KJ-1 would have functions equivalent to more than 40 ground radar stations, but the
test flight in the early 70s experienced severe mid-flight vibrations that could not be solved, and the development was stopped later amongst the political chaos of the
Cultural Revolution. During the
reform and opening up, the project was once again put on hold due to cuts in
military budget as
economic development was given top priority. When the project was finally reviewed again in 1978 for the
modernization of the
People's Liberation Army Air Force, it was considered obsolete, and the project was terminated in 1979. The only KJ-1 aircraft built was dismantled after the project was scrapped, and the KJ-1 now on display at the
China Aviation Museum in
Beijing is actually a reconstructed
replica converted using another Tu-4. In the KJ-1's place, PRC developed a
phased-array radar for its
KJ-2000 AWACS aircraft, based on a modified
Ilyushin Il-76 airframe. ==References==