BAE friend or foe system certified for US Air Force F-16

BAE Systems' AN/APX-127(V)1 combined interrogator-transponder received US AIMS Mark XIIB certification for use on Air Force F-16s. The unit combines Mode S and encrypted Mode 5 functions, adds passive receive channels, preserves the form factor of several legacy devices, and uses an open architecture for software-led upgrades. Certification clears the design against the shared US and NATO identification standard, while an initial production lot of 90 units is expected to begin delivery this year rather than equipping the entire fleet immediately. The drop-in design is intended to lower integration risk and simplify replacement across American and allied aircraft types.