This newly released photo confirmed the existance of the so-called "Balance Beam Testbed" ("High New-1"?) which is an AWACS prototype based upon Y-8F-200 (?) transport aircraft. It appears to bear some resemblance to the Swedish Saab 340 AWACS aircraft carrying an electronically scanned phased array radar in a large rectangular fairing above the fuselage. A separate phased array radar might be housed inside the canoe fairing underneath the fuselage for air-to-surface search or lower hemisphere coverage. The radar is likely to be the product of 38th Institute, as the aircraft was spotted in Hefei, Anhui Province. The aircraft also features a pressurized forward carbin housing the C&C center. It first flew on November 8, 2001 at SAC and is currently being evaluated by CFTE. Both Y-8 Balance Beam Testbed and KJ-2000 have demonstrated China's determination to acquire indigenous AWACS capability after the earlier A-50I setback. They are expected to coordinate J-7G, J-8F, J-10A, J-11A, JH-7A and H-6H via datalinks in the possible air compaigns against Taiwan
