Mark XIIA(Mode 5) IFF System Integration and Certification Test for Surface to Air Missile System

Abstract

The new IFF mode, Mode-5 replacing Mode-4, has already been established by the US DoD for its allies and NATO forces. A IFF retrofit program for replacing the Mark XII Mode-4 with Mark XIIA Mode-5 is in progress in order to overcome the security limitations of the former in R.O.K. IFF certification test for the new mode, Mode-5, has been performed on medium range surface to air missile platform of the Korean armed forces for the first time in R.O.K and this is regarded as a monumental event in Korean defense industry. The present paper is a discussion on the procedures applied to the IFF system retrofit and integration, lessons learned from AIMS test with the US AIMS PO as observer. The minimum modification from the existing Mark XII Mode-4 to Mark XIIA Mode-5 and evolutional adaption from previous design including interoperability are required for the system retrofit. Letter of Certification was received from the US AIMS PO after the tests. The authors propose that the lessons learned and know-how acquired during the tests are managed by the R.O.K Government as the standard structure of a database. It is expected that the use of the database will reduce the developmental difficulties and risk, also increase efficiency in future developments and other projects.