Compact, Flexible Device with Significant Growth Potential
At FEINDEF 2021 in Madrid, Leonardo has been demonstrating the capabilities of its M428 compact IFF transponder and removable encryption unit, both of which are currently being offered to the Spanish MoD.
The M428 is an evolution of the proven MkXIIA family of transponders, designed entirely in-house and certified by NATO. The removable encryption unit (SIT 2010 crypto appliqué) and additional functionality – including ADS-B and reverse Mode 5, are among the demands emerging from potential users. An ADS-B OUT capability is already included, and ADS-B IN is a growth capability. Variants can also be provided for non-NATO applications with, for example, M4-only or national secure mode capabilities. Suitable for airborne and maritime applications, the system comes in a reduced ½ATR form factor for hard mounting, which makes it especially suitable for UAS and other volume-constrained applications.