Airborne Electronics Forecast

ARCHIVED REPORT
For data and forecasts on current programs please visit
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APX-72(V) - Archived 03/2001

10 Year Unit Production Forecast

Units
 In limited production and service; ongoing logistics support 12

10
 Superseded by APX-100(V), APX-101(V), and APX-111(V) in 8

newer aircraft 6

4
 Spares support and limited FMS for the next several years 2

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
APX-72(V) 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Years

Orientation
Description. The APX-72(V) is an airborne identifica- Contractors
tion friend or foe (IFF) transponder. Associated Aircraft Manufacturing & Sales Inc
784 NW 57th Court
Sponsors
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (FL) 33309-2092
US Navy
USA
Naval Air Systems Command
Tel: +1 305 772 6606
NAVAIR HQ
Fax: +1 305 772 1633
47123 Buse Road, Unit IPT
(Current manufacturer)
Patuxent River, Maryland (MD) 20670-1547
USA Status. Limited production ending.
Tel: +1 301 342 3000
Total Produced. Through 1999, approximately
US Army 46,325 units were produced.
Army Aviation & Troop Command
Application. Various tactical rotary- and fixed-wing
St. Louis, Missouri (MO)
aircraft.
USA
US Air Force Price Range. US$21,000 per unit.
Warner Robins Air Logistics Center
Robins AFB, Georgia (GA) 31098
USA
Tel: +1 912 468 1001

Technical Data
Metric US
Dimensions
Weight: 6.8 kg 15 lb
Dimensions: 146 x 162 x 230 mm 5.7 x 6.4 x 13.4 in

March 2000
APX-72(V), Page 2 Airborne Electronics Forecast

Characteristics
Frequency: 1090 MHz (transmit)
1030 MHz (receive)
Power: 27 dBW (nominal)
Dynamic Range: >50 dB
Sensitivity: Artillery/Mortars -90 dBV (nominal)

Design Specifications. The APX-72(V) airborne IFF provided with traffic control and vehicle identification
transponder has been widely used on US military data and automatic altitude reporting, regardless of the
aircraft and certain civil aircraft and is commonly used radar or weather environment.
as the transponder for the Mark XII interrogator/
Operational Characteristics. The APX-72(V)
transponder system used on interceptor aircraft. The
receives, decodes and replies to the characteristic
APX-72(V) system supplies the aircraft with the
interrogations of operational modes 1, 2, 3/A, C, and 4
automatic radar identification, position identification,
(KIT-1A/TSEC computer is required for Mode 4
emergency signals, and altitude reporting provided to all
operation). The lightweight (15 lb) and compact system
AIMS interrogators within the IFF system’s operational
is completely self-contained within an airtight casing.
range. Thus, military and civil air traffic controllers are

Variants/Upgrades
No known variants have been identified.

Program Review
Background. The APX-72(V) has been in production the US Air Force to assess and ultimately enhance the
for over 15 years. Initially designed by Bendix, it has functionality, reliability, and maintainability of IFF
also been produced by Honeywell and then Hazeltine. transponders for Air Force applications. A potentially
Hazeltine was the sole producer from the late 1970s significant acquisition and logistics cost savings could
until 1989, when Associated Aircraft acquired the be achieved developing a Common IFF (CIFF) trans-
manufacturing rights. While Rex Systems was awarded ponder to replace four IFF transponders currently in the
a contract for 84 systems in 1984, it never delivered on Air Force Inventory (APX-64(V), APX-72(V),
the contract due to a dispute that arose over the APX-100(V), and APX-101(V)). The existing systems
company’s contention that proper documentation was are installed in approximately 6,000 aircraft repre-
never supplied. The Navy terminated the contract the senting 26 different Mission Design Series (MDS). By
following year for default, leading to various company replacing each of these functionally similar systems
appeals that eventually led to a judgment in its favor. with a Common IFF system, significant life-cycle cost
savings could be realized by reducing the technical data
The Common Avionics Identification Friend or Foe
maintenance, spare parts inventory, support equipment
(IFF) Transponder R&M Improvement Program. In a
and training costs. The study would result in an initial
series of Commerce Business Daily announcements in
assessment to determine the appropriate feasibility and
November and December 1998, the Battelle Memorial
engineering approach to achieving a common IFF
Institute announced that it was conducting a study for
transponder.

Funding
No recent funding has been identified.

Recent Contracts
No recent contracts have been identified.

March 2000
Airborne Electronics Forecast APX-72(V), Page 3

Timetable
Year Major Development
1965 Bendix begins manufacturing APX-72(V)
1974 Honeywell outbids Bendix to assume production
1976 Hazeltine awarded APX-72(V) manufacturing rights
1989 Associated Aircraft acquires manufacturing rights
1996 Production of units for spares continues
1998 RFI for Common IFF Transponder Improvement Program
2000 End of production

Worldwide Distribution
The largest user of the APX-72(V) has been the US. All three services employed the system on older aircraft.
More modern IFF systems, such as the APX-100(V) and APX-101(V), as well as combined
transponder/interrogator designs such as the APX-111(V), APV-113(V), and APX-114(V), have superseded the
APX-72(V) in most newer aircraft applications.

Forecast Rationale
Procurement meets the limited need for spares of the Aircraft can provide new-production units, demand is
APX-72(V), but the program’s life is limited by several shifting to refurbished units and spare parts. Most users
factors. The design is over 30 years old, and has been are selecting the APX-111(V) as the interrogator/
replaced by newer MK XII transponders, such as the transponder for next-generation IFF operations. The
AlliedSignal APX-100(V) and the Teledyne large number of systems in use, however, will support
APX-101(V), in most US military applications. As- limited activity in spares and some replacement
sociate Aircraft Manufacturing & Sales of Ft. acquisition. The APX-72(V) is expected to remain in
Lauderdale, Florida, took over production of the service for the next several years.
APX-72(V) from Hazeltine in 1989. The company had
The study to develop a Common IFF system will have
been building about 75 RT-859A/APX-72(V)s a year,
minimal impact on the APX-72(V) because of the age
and refurbishing about 125 units annually.
and longevity of the equipment. Most are carried on
Spares support and foreign sales should be the mainstay platforms that probably would not receive the new
of the APX-72(V) for a while longer. While Associated equipment.

Ten-Year Outlook
ESTIMATED CALENDAR YEAR PRODUCTION
High Confidence Good Confidence Speculative
Level Level
Total
Designation Application Thru 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 00-09
APX-72 VARIOUS ACFT 46325 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10
(UNSPECIFIED)
Total Production 46325 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10

March 2000