ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Passive electronically scanned array

A passive electronically scanned array, or PESA for short, is a type of technology that helps us find things far away using radar. Think of it like a big superpowerful flashlight that can shine really far and show you things that you couldn't see with your normal eyes.

The way it works is that there are a lot of little antennas (like little ears) inside the PESA that work together to send out radar signals in a certain direction. These signals bounce off of objects such as planes or ships in the sky or on the sea and come back to the PESA. Then, the antennas listen for these signals and use the information they get from them to figure out where the objects are and how far away they are.

A PESA is called "passive" because it can listen for signals without sending out any of its own. This makes it more difficult for enemies to find the PESA because it is not broadcasting any signals that can be detected.

Overall, a PESA is a really helpful tool that helps us find things that we can't see with our own eyes and do so without giving away our position.