Army wants better IFF for Stinger and Avenger

Avenger Short Range Air Defense

Stinger Weapon System with AN/PPX-3B IFF

A--Request for Information for Avenger Weapon Platform & STINGER Man Portable Air Defense (MANPAD) Mark XIIA IFF Interrogator Set - W56KGU15R0021 - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

(U//FOUO) The U.S. Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005, on behalf of the Communications Electronics Research and Development Engineering Center (CERDEC) Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD) Radar Systems and ID (RSID) Division, is conducting a Market Survey to identify potential sources for the procurement of an Avenger Weapon Platform and STINGER Man Portable Air Defense (MANPAD) Mark XIIA Interrogator Set.

(U//FOUO) Sources are sought for a Mark XIIA capable belt pack interrogator set that is a plug and play replacement for the AN/PPX-3B Interrogator Set for Avenger and STINGER MANPAD System operation.

Background Information

DSCA 11-40.pdf
58 - SOL:AN/PPX-3B INTERROGATOR SET (05/02/97)

  Stinger

Avenger

IFF Support Equipment

FM 44-100-2 AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY REFERENCE HANDBOOK
Interrogator Friend or Foe System (IFF)

• Stinger is equipped with an IFF subsystem to aid in the identification of aerial platforms. The IFF system classifies aerial platforms as either friendly or unknown. It does not identify hostile aerial platforms. IFF components include the IFF interrogator and an interconnecting cable.
• The gunner initiates the IFF sequence by pressing the IFF INTERROGATE switch on the gripstock assembly. The interrogator attached to the gunner's belt sends a coded signal to the aerial platform. Once the gunner issues a challenge, the rest of the sequence is automatic.
• The aerial platform's transponder then prepares and sends a coded reply. The reply is received by the Stinger IFF antenna and is routed to the interrogator for decoding. The interrogator converts the reply into an audible tone that is then routed via the interconnecting cable to the gunner as a friendly tone. If the aerial platform's transponder sends an incorrect reply to the IFF challenge, the reply is processed by the IFF system into an unknown tone. Aerial platforms not equipped with transponders will not reply to the challenge, and this is also interpreted into an unknown tone. The gunner hears the friendly or unknown tone immediately after challenging the aerial platform.
• The IFF challenge is coded in a complex, cryptographic secure Mode 4 form, or a simpler Mode 3 form. All US combat aerial platforms and helicopters are equipped with transponders to provide friendly Mode 4 and 3 replies. Since the Mode 4 code is secure, a friendly Mode 4 reply is considered a true friend reply. A friendly Mode 3 reply is considered only as a possible friend reply.
• Support equipment for the IFF includes 
• a programmer battery charger AN/GSX-1, 
• computer KIR-1C/ TSEC (with power supply model ZAC A/1), and 
• two code changing keys KOI-18/ TSEC.

The computer and code changing keys, when set with classified code, are classified CONFIDENTIAL, and must be safeguarded as outlined in TB 380-41. The interrogator (specifically, the reply evaluator module within the interrogator) is also classified CONFIDENTIAL, and proper security measures must be taken for it. An IFF subsystem training set is available for training purposes. See TM 9-1425-429-12 and TM 9-1425-2586-10 for operation instructions.