Thales chosen to modernise IFF for India’s MiG-29

[Justin Joseph]

Thales chosen to modernise IFF for India’s MiG-29

20:01 GMT, March 25, 2010 Colombes | Thales has been awarded a contract by Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK-MiG) to deliver Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT) and Cryptographic National Secure Mode (NSM), for the retrofit of the MiG-29 multi-role fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The first CIT will be delivered to RSK-MiG in 2010 and the first building block of a comprehensive secure identification capability in India mid-2011.

The IFF CIT equipment chosen in the TSB 2500 family offers a modern digital identification capability, compliant with the NATO Standard MKXA* modes. It will enable Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter aircraft to be interoperable with western military aircrafts and so to avoid friendly fire. Moreover, the cryptographic mode will offer India a first national secure identification capability for protecting its own assets. According to the contract, Thales will deliver IFF for the whole Indian fleet of 63 MiG-29.

“This MiG-29 IFF retrofit perfectly illustrates the excellence of Thales’s IFF solutions for the modernisation of existing aircraft” said Patrice Caine, Vice President, in charge of RadioCom activities at Thales. “We think, that one of Thales’s missions is to provide our customers with solutions that can help them to be more efficient while ensuring a better protection. Thales’s IFF secure solution fully meets this goal”.

The TSB 2500 IFF Combined Interrogator Transponder is one of the most advanced systems compliant with the latest NATO and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and regulations. It can securely operate either with cryptographic national mode or with the Mode 4 / Mode 5 NATO modes. More than 16,000 IFF equipments have been installed onboard more than one hundred types of platforms worldwide including airborne, ground and naval platforms.

defence.professionals | defpro.com

 

[sancho]

I guess we can expect the same for MKIs during the upgrade and Pak Fa / FGFA too, because that they can't identify friendly fighters was a big problem in Red Flag exercise. Also with more western fighters coming in through MMRCA, it is important to link and coordinate our fleet together!

 

[mrwarrior006]

gonna oly increase the efficiency of our fighter mens and fighters

 

[Dark Angel]

Great news this will definately increase the skills and capability in IAF

 

[harrymohan]

I guess we can expect the same for MKIs during the upgrade and Pak Fa / FGFA too, because that they can't identify friendly fighters was a big problem in Red Flag exercise. Also with more western fighters coming in through MMRCA, it is important to link and coordinate our fleet together!

Friendly aircrafts used Datalink used by Nato forces! so it shdn't be a big issue! If MKIs are able to talk to other planes in Indian inventory that would be alright!

India has no plans of sending airforce to Afganistan or Iraq for military purpose so who needs the talking in Nato lingo using datalink of theirs!

 

[illuminatidinesh]

So many Russian components integrated with western wares..... And some people say these r junks????????
Sure the western indusrties r finding India a major market in defence sales.

 

[RadyLeo]

Mig 29 by no means is junk. Its the mainstay of Russian Airforce. I don't think its inferior to any 4th gen fighters in the world.

On the other hand IAF Mig29-UPG is going to be a kick *** fighter. Its is going to be more than a match for the F16’s with its BVR capability, zukh-m2e radar, in-flight refueling, a new engine, data linking with our Phalcon’s, active jammers and rest of the goodies.

 

[illuminatidinesh]

I see U r new member Leo..... Good going. WELCOME BUDDY.
By no means it s inferior plane, I posted as some trolls cal them(All Russian Hardware's).

 

[sancho]

Friendly aircrafts used Datalink used by Nato forces! so it shdn't be a big issue! If MKIs are able to talk to other planes in Indian inventory that would be alright!

India has no plans of sending airforce to Afganistan or Iraq for military purpose so who needs the talking in Nato lingo using datalink of theirs!

You get me wrong, I meant IAF must link fighters of different origins in it's fleet with eachother, Mig 29, Su 30 MKI, with Mirage 2000, maybe Rafale, EF, Gripen, or even F18SH. Only by linking the whole fleet, we can get full advantage of the capabilities of the fighters.