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The CSA-003 is China’s newest Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) aircraft. Built by the China Electronic Technology Corporation’s Avionics division, the CSA-003 is a family of special mission aircraft that include maritime patrol and oil spill response.
![Aerial Star CSA-004 China Diamond DA42](https://www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/JXLD2GSZNELOYWQHTTRO6GGJNY.jpg?strip=all&quality=85)
ELINT is a vital part of today’s military activities and future battlefield. In addition to collecting intelligence on potential enemies’ electronic activity, in a battlefield situation, it enables electronic and cyber attacks against enemy electronics through pinpointing their location and vulnerabilities.
![Diamond DA42](https://www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/6S7IFSHSQAKSO5K424FAWZMF5Q.jpg?strip=all&quality=85)
Built by CETCS off of an Austrian designed Diamond DA42 utility plane, the CSA-003 is a twin turboprop engined, 1.7 ton plane with heavy composite usage in its fuselage. The website states that the CSSA-003’s crew consists of 1-2 pilots and 1 sensor operator. The sensor payload, carried in a pod under the fuselage, consists of a modern, digital ELINT and signals processing suite that can detect, track and analyze enemy electronic activities, such as communications, weapons guidance and radars.
The CSA-003 also has the capability for installing an electro optical/infrared sensor turret, which can detect enemy regular and irregular forces like infantry under all weather conditions. The CSA-003 can count on satellite links and processing support from ground stations to act as part of a larger network of integrated electronic attack assets.
![J-16D Electronic Warfare China Wild Weasel EW](https://www.popsci.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/18/X3FA3KDW5OYBK2UFJTAZENQHXA.jpg?strip=all&quality=85)
The CSA-003 will join larger Chinese ELINT platforms, such as the medium Y-9 aircraft. Its parallel may more be smaller ELINT airplanes like the U.S. Army’s RC-12 Huron, which are also twin engined turboprop aircraft modified for gathering battlefield intelligence in counterinsurgency environments like Afghanistan and Iraq. The usage of a European airframe, subject to EU arms restrictions, suggests that the CSA-003 may initially be geared to paramilitary missions like border patrol.
Thanks to Andreas Rupprecht for pointing out the usage of the Diamond DA42.