Russia will create by 2018 a prototype next-generation radar station based on radio-optical phased array technology, the first deputy general director of Russian Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET) said.

"KRET already began laboratory research in radiophotonics to create radio-optical phased arrays to equip its new-generation radar… By 2018 KRET will present a radar prototype," Igor Nasenkov told RIA Novosti in an interview at the Dubai Airshow-2015.

According to Nasenkov, photonic technology, or the use of light, will greatly expand the information acquisition capability of modern communications and radars, decreasing weight by half and increasing resolution ten-fold.

Russia Develops Electronic Warfare System to Counter Aerospace Threats

"We finished developing a new generation of ground EW [electronic warfare reconnaissance system], which will fend off aerospace attacks. It includes the latest electronic intelligence units, which will be able to conduct a more detailed reconnaissance than the Moscow-1 electronic warfare system," Nasenkov told RIA Novosti.

According to Nasenkov, the system will feature several geolocation methods, including triangulation, phase and range difference.

The next-generation system is designed to jam modern and future aerospace radio-electronic equipment, the KRET deputy head added.

KRET, Russia's largest radio-electronics company, was founded in 2009. The umbrella company combines over 95 business entities under Russia’s state technologies corporation Rostec.