Typhoon in Reverse-IFF system demo
An industry-government team has demonstrated an air-to-ground Mode 5 Reverse Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) capability integrated on an Italian Typhoon, Finmeccanica announced on 22 April.
The demonstration saw a Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoon simulate a Close Air Support mission, flying toward and interrogating a number of Italian Army Lince armoured vehicles with its integrated reverse-IFF system. The Lince vehicles returned ‘friendly’ signals, indicating to the Typhoon to hold off from deploying its weaponry.
IFF systems give pilots the ability to distinguish between friendly and enemy platforms. It works by sending out an interrogation signal and verifying the responses it receives back.
A reverse-IFF system uses the same concept to interrogate ground forces, allowing a pilot to understand where surface-level friendly forces are located before deciding whether to use weaponry. The system is called ‘reverse’ IFF because the aircraft uses its transponder, usually used to reply to interrogations from other aircraft or from the ground, to scan the ground vehicles.
This demonstration shows that it is possible to introduce the capability in a simple, low-impact fashion using the aircraft’s existing transponder.
NATO is considering the Mode 5 Reverse-IFF system as one of the possible short-to-mid-term solutions for air-to-surface identification, to avoid friendly fire when cooperating with coalition forces. NATO representatives witnessed the demonstration at Italy’s Official Test Center in Pratica di Mare near Rome.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Digital Battlespace
-
US Space Force increases efforts to plug training capabilities gaps
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
-
US Space Force bets big on the use of AI to improve its capabilities
The service has been conducting several acquisition and upgrading efforts involving artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve communication, data analysis and ISR systems.
-
Thales selected for Syracuse satellite communications terminals for French vehicles
The Syracuse 4B communications satellite, developed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, was launched last year, bolstering secure military satellite communications for the French Armed Forces. Thales has now been selected to provide terminals for vehicles.
-
The New Battlefield: Space Defence, Emerging Threats, and Strategic Opportunities (Studio)
The growing importance of space in modern warfare, advancements in satellite technology, and increasing threats from rivals like China and Russia were among the topics of a Eurosatory 2024 panel on military space operations.
-
BAE Systems to provide radios for South Korean aircraft
AN/ARC-232A is a Starfire radio that provides VHF/UHF communications to airborne platforms and the transceiver is software-programmable, allowing for multiple waveform support as well as optional national electronic counter counter-measure (ECCM) capability.
-
Lockheed Martin to work with DARPA on AI effort
During the 18-month period of the contract, Lockheed Martin will apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to create surrogate models of aircraft, sensors, electronic warfare and weapons within dynamic and operationally representative environments.