"AI" or "xR" (maybe "Rx"?) selectable with the IFF button now.

[Razor18]

I assume due to the new IFF function alright, but is there any information about this two options selectable by pressing IFF button on the UFC?

 

Thanks

[Mo410]

Ai is your Airborne Interrogator, so in theory you colonize which modes you want to interrogate, and RX is the transponder, so what modes and codes you want to transmit.  AI codes are more for searching for Correct Code, the one you specify next to colonized mode if you are looking for something specific - not sure if CC is implemented or not. 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Mo410

[Razor18]

Thanks, I was just surprised/confused seeing that on UFC the first time a few days ago. Hopefully some clarification comes out soon...

[Tholozor]

You can read about the AI and XP (yep, that's right, 'XP' for the transponder, that's not a typo) modes in the NATOPS, section 23.6. Pressing the IFF button on the UFC after the system is powered will switch between each mode. Transponder codes and interrogator codes are independent of each other. Both can either be programmed manually or loaded from the data cartridge.

 

Mode 1 codes are valid if the first digit is 0-7, and the second digit is 0-3.

Mode 2 codes are valid if each digit is 0-7.

Mode 3 codes are valid if each digit is 0-7 (C mode relays pressure altitude from the ADC).

Mode 4 codes can be automatically initialized from the data cartridge (MUMI page in the future once implemented).

 

In the future, the MODE4 switch on the IFF panel on the left console should control a few things:

- In the DIS/AUD position, a voice warning from Betty should sound if your aircraft successfully responds to a friendly fails to reply to Mode 4 interrogation ("Mode 4 Reply" along with an 'IFF4' advisory), in addition to an 'M4 OK' advisory if the reply is successful, along with an audio tone.

- In the DIS position, the voice warning is disabled the audio tone is disabled, but will still display the 'M4 OK' and 'IFF4' advisories.

- In the OFF position, no advisories will be displayed and audio alerts are disabled.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Tholozor
Correction, edits are underlined

[Razor18]

Cool, thanks Tholozor !

[BarTzi]

42 minutes ago, Tholozor said:

You can read about the AI and XP (yep, that's right, 'XP' for the transponder, that's not a typo) modes in the NATOPS, section 23.6. Pressing the IFF button on the UFC after the system is powered will switch between each mode. Transponder codes and interrogator codes are independent of each other. Both can either be programmed manually or loaded from the data cartridge.

 

Mode 1 codes are valid if the first digit is 0-7, and the second digit is 0-3.

Mode 2 codes are valid if each digit is 0-7.

Mode 3 codes are valid if each digit is 0-7 (C mode relays pressure altitude from the ADC).

Mode 4 codes can be automatically initialized from the data cartridge (MUMI page in the future once implemented).

 

In the future, the MODE4 switch on the IFF panel on the left console should control a few things:

- In the DIS/AUD position, a voice warning from Betty should sound if your aircraft successfully responds to a friendly Mode 4 interrogation ("Mode 4 Reply"), in addition to an 'M4 OK' advisory.

- In the DIS position, the voice warning is disabled, but will still display the 'M4 OK' advisory.

- In the OFF position, no voice warning or advisory will be displayed.

 

Did ED really say it's going to be implemented? That sounds amazing! 

[Tholozor]

1 hour ago, BarTzi said:

Did ED really say it's going to be implemented? That sounds amazing! 

That I don't know, I'm just relaying what's described in the NATOPS.

[Harker]

3 hours ago, Tholozor said:

- In the DIS/AUD position, a voice warning from Betty should sound if your aircraft successfully responds to a friendly Mode 4 interrogation ("Mode 4 Reply"), in addition to an 'M4 OK' advisory.

Just to add to that, the audio tone should play whenever you're interrogated, regardless if you replied successfully or not.
If you do reply successfully, you'll also get the "M4 OK" advisory.

 

The Jeff already has a pretty comprehensive IFF implementation, I can only hope we get something like that in the Hornet.

[Tholozor]

32 minutes ago, Harker said:

Just to add to that, the audio tone should play whenever you're interrogated, regardless if you replied successfully or not.
If you do reply successfully, you'll also get the "M4 OK" advisory.

Thanks, I doubled-checked the NATOPS and my initial description of it was partially incorrect.

 

The voice warning accompanies the 'IFF4' advisory, which can result if the codes are invalid, zeroized, Mode 4 turned off, a faulty crypto unit, or general transponder failure and the aircraft is subject to Mode 4 interrogation.

The 'M4 OK' advisory is accompanied by an audio tone as long as the Mode 4 switch is in the DIS/AUD position.

Edited December 22, 2020 by Tholozor

[Harker]

9 hours ago, Tholozor said:

The voice warning accompanies the 'IFF4' advisory, which can result if the codes are invalid, zeroized, Mode 4 turned off, a faulty crypto unit, or general transponder failure and the aircraft is subject to Mode 4 interrogation.

The 'M4 OK' advisory is accompanied by an audio tone as long as the Mode 4 switch is in the DIS/AUD position.

Yep, what I read as well. As I understand it, if you disable the audio message,
you won't get anything if you fail a M4 interrogation because of code mismatch. IFF4 shows up only if there's an issue with the KIV-6 module. Maybe I'm mistaken in how I understand it.

 

I just find it a little weird that, with disabled audio, you won't get an advisory if you fail an interrogation.

[Habu_69]

This is all quite interesting information, BUT what are the practical applications of these new features in DCS game play??

[Guppy]

 

19 minutes ago, Habu_69 said:

This is all quite interesting information, BUT what are the practical applications of these new features in DCS game play??

 

If they allow for the input of IFF codes then in theory the other side could try and guess them and look like friendlies up in the air. For DCS this is all kind of stupid since switching sides can give you the other teams IFF codes from the briefing. Or someone wanting to be "fun" by giving you the other side's codes. If you decide to switch codes and use something different then it would require a lot of communication with your team. Being DCS what it is -- that would mean hoping everyone is on comms. Otherwise giving the code to people will be a pain.

 

All and all I hope they do not implement IFF to a more advanced level then it is now. Turn it on and it should function. It would be a waste of effort otherwise.

Edited December 23, 2020 by Guppy

[Tholozor]

Well, at the very least the Mode 3 codes can be utilized with LotATC/Simple Radio, so you can squawk on the codes the controllers assign you.

[Habu_69]

23 hours ago, Guppy said:

 

 

If they allow for the input of IFF codes then in theory the other side could try and guess them and look like friendlies up in the air. For DCS this is all kind of stupid since switching sides can give you the other teams IFF codes from the briefing. Or someone wanting to be "fun" by giving you the other side's codes. If you decide to switch codes and use something different then it would require a lot of communication with your team. Being DCS what it is -- that would mean hoping everyone is on comms. Otherwise giving the code to people will be a pain.

 

All and all I hope they do not implement IFF to a more advanced level then it is now. Turn it on and it should function. It would be a waste of effort otherwise.

 

Ahh, so, nothing really. Thanks for the info. Moving right along...

[Harker]

Right now, the codes don't do anything. And only mode 4 is used for actual coalition IFF. The rest of the codes are only used for identification purposes, but not for friendly/hostile IFF.

 

Mode 4 works with encrypted keys, so there isn't a way to give them to the other team in DCS.