German aerospace firm Hensoldt has been contracted to provide state-of-the-art identification friend or foe (IFF) systems to the South Korean military.
Two contracts with a combined value of 10 million euros ($11.36 million) have been awarded to the firm, stipulating the supply of 20 monopulse secondary surveillance radar (MSSR) 2000s, test equipment, and related support services.
According to the company, the MSSR/IFF system will be integrated into several coastal surveillance and air surveillance radars to enhance their ability to distinguish hostile from friendly forces.
The system reportedly works by precisely identifying aircraft with the help of interrogation signals automatically sent and answered by transponders installed on friendly aircraft.
Hensoldt explained that the technology features sophisticated encryption techniques to prevent hostile signal manipulation and ensure that the identification process is reliable and secure.
“[The] Mode 5 [standard] is in the process of being introduced in all western armies as a precondition of joint operations of US/NATO and allied forces,” the company said in a press release.
Hensoldt currently has over 500 IFF systems under contract in more than 40 nations.
