Airbus DS Electronics and Border Security (EBS), future HENSOLDT, equips the recently ordered A330 MRTT multirole tanker aircraft of the South Korean armed forces with cryptographic technology employing the latest “Mode 5” NATO standard. Under a contract awarded by Airbus Defence and Space, the future HENSOLDT will deliver until beginning of 2018 eight cryptographic computers which will protect the MRTT’s identification systems against hostile spoofing and jamming.

Identification-friend-foe systems

The European-manufactured and US-certified QRTK-crypto computers are the key element of the identification-friend-foe (IFF) systems of armed forces which use the automatic exchange of encrypted signals between ground stations and aircraft to distinguish friendly from hostile forces. Effective identification is necessary to avoid own or allied forces being attacked erroneously by friendly forces. Unlike the “Mode 4” standard used in western armies hitherto, “Mode 5” employs highly sophisticated encryption techniques to avoid hostile signal manipulation, thus ensuring that the identification process is absolutely reliable and secure. By 2019, “Mode 5” will be introduced in all western armies, then being a precondition of joint operations of allied forces.

Ground and naval applications

The future HENSOLDT is under contract to upgrade German, French, and UK armed forces’ IFF systems to the “Mode 5” standard. It has already delivered IFF systems – including crypto devices - to several NATO nations, for ground and naval applications. Among others, the company’s equipment is deployed on all German Navy ships as well as several UK Royal Navy ships. In Germany, the company has established the air traffic control/IFF network of the German Air Force covering an airspace of 1,700 x 1,500 kilometres. In total, HENSOLDT has more than 400 IFF systems under contract in 42 nations. In the Republic of Korea, Airbus DS EBS has already equipped Korean Air Force and Army’s Low Altitude Radars with its IFF Mode 5 Technology in cooperation with local Korean defence industries.

Download PDF version Download PDF version

In case you missed it

What will be the big news for security in 2025?
What will be the big news for security in 2025?

2025 is likely to see further advancements in artificial intelligence, with potential impacts on various aspects of society, including the security industry. The new year will also...

How did security change for the better in 2024?
How did security change for the better in 2024?

2024 was a year of significant challenges and remarkable progress in a world that is more interconnected than ever. Global collaboration continues to point the way toward continuin...

Keyless security with ASSA ABLOY at Helsinki Airport
Keyless security with ASSA ABLOY at Helsinki Airport

Managing access to and around Helsinki Airport is a complex task. Around 15,000 people work there daily pre-pandemic passenger numbers hovered around 60,000 to 70,000. Challenges...

Quick poll
Which AI-powered capability will dominate in the years ahead?