Cassidian, the defense and security division of EADS, has successfully completed all certification measurements of its Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) 2000 I secondary radar by the AIMS Program Office of the US Department of Defense.
Concluding extensive tests and documentation since 2008, the certification guarantees the interoperability and reliable operation of MSSR 2000 I according to the future Mode 5 standard and all other Modes (1, 2, 3/A, C, 4, S). The new Mode 5 standardized process of distinguishing hostile from friendly aircraft (Identification-Friend-or-Foe, IFF) will be obligatory in all NATO Armed Forces from 2014. Therefore, the certification is a prerequisite for delivery of IFF equipment in the future.
“Sophisticated identification systems such as our MSSR 2000 I allow the aircraft of own or allied forces to be reliably identified, thus helping to prevent friendly fire,” explained Elmar Compans, Head of Cassidian's Sensors & Electronic Warfare. “In this way, we make a contribution to protect individual soldiers and support them in fulfilling their mission.”
The International AIMS Program Office of the US Department of Defense is the worldwide organization certifying interoperability and technical performance of radar and IFF systems. MSSR 2000 I is the only European identification system having completed this all mode certification in accordance with AIMS 03-1000A CN3, AIMS 04-900A and AIMS 03-1201.
Cassidian has delivered IFF systems to several NATO nations for ground and naval applications. Among others, MSSR 2000 I protects all German Navy ships as well as UK Royal Navy ships and the French Navy's Mistral class command ships. In Germany, Cassidian has established the air traffic control network of the German Luftwaffe covering an airspace of 1,700 by 1,500 km. In total, Cassidian has more than 350 systems in approximately 30 nations under contract, including USA.