TSEC-: Difference between revisions
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz (New page: {{slashtitle|TSEC/ prefix}} Most U.S. government-approved communications security equipment has designations in the form '''TSEC/KG-99''', in which ''TSEC/'' (not...) |
imported>Howard C. Berkowitz No edit summary |
||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{subpages}} | |||
{{slashtitle|TSEC/ prefix}} | {{slashtitle|TSEC/ prefix}} | ||
Most U.S. government-approved [[information security|communications security]] equipment has designations in the form '''TSEC/KG-99''', in which ''TSEC/'' (note slash) is purely an identification for a designation system, not an abbreviation. It complements the [[AN-]] system used for general military electronics, which does reserve certain of the letters in the AN/ system are reserved for NSA use. | Most U.S. government-approved [[information security|communications security]] equipment has designations in the form '''TSEC/KG-99''', in which ''TSEC/'' (note slash) is purely an identification for a designation system, not an abbreviation. It complements the [[AN-]] system used for general military electronics, which does reserve certain of the letters in the AN/ system are reserved for [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) use. | ||
While the [[#designation systems codes|designation system codes]] are quite complex and still contain special cases, the basic structure is: | While the [[#designation systems codes|designation system codes]] are quite complex and still contain special cases, the basic structure is: | ||
Line 25: | Line 26: | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Advancing | ||
|- | |- | ||
| B | | B | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Base of cabinet | ||
|- | |- | ||
| C | | C | ||
| COMSEC equipment | | COMSEC equipment | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Combining | ||
|- | |- | ||
| D | | D | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Drawer or Panel | ||
|- | |- | ||
| E | | E | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Strip or Chassis | ||
|- | |- | ||
| F | | F | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Frame or Rack | ||
|- | |- | ||
| G | | G | ||
Line 60: | Line 61: | ||
| Cryptographic ancillary | | Cryptographic ancillary | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Keyboard | ||
|- | |- | ||
| I | | I | ||
| - | | - | ||
| Data transmission | | Data transmission | ||
| | | Translator or Reader | ||
|- | |- | ||
| J | | J | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Speech Processing | ||
|- | |- | ||
| K | | K | ||
Line 80: | Line 81: | ||
| - | | - | ||
| Literal conversion | | Literal conversion | ||
| | | Repeater | ||
|- | |- | ||
| M | | M | ||
| Manufacturing | | Manufacturing | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Memory or Storage | ||
|- | |- | ||
| N | | N | ||
Line 95: | Line 96: | ||
| - | | - | ||
| Multipurpose | | Multipurpose | ||
| | | Observation | ||
|- | |- | ||
| P | | P | ||
| - | | - | ||
| Materials Production | | Materials Production | ||
| | | Power | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Q | | Q | ||
Line 110: | Line 111: | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Receiver | ||
|- | |- | ||
| S | | S | ||
| Special purpose | | Special purpose | ||
| Special purpose | | Special purpose | ||
| | | Synchronizing | ||
|- | |- | ||
| T | | T | ||
| - | | - | ||
| Testing, checking, maintenance | | Testing, checking, maintenance | ||
| | | Transmitter | ||
|- | |- | ||
| U | | U | ||
| - | | - | ||
| Television | | Television | ||
| | | Printer | ||
|- | |- | ||
| V | | V | ||
| - | | - | ||
| - | | - | ||
| | | Removable communications security component | ||
|- | |- | ||
| W | | W | ||
| - | | - | ||
| Teletypewriter | | Teletypewriter | ||
| | | Logic Programmer or Programming | ||
|- | |- | ||
| X | | X | ||
| - | | - | ||
| [[Facsimile]] | | [[Facsimile]] | ||
| | | Special purpose | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Y | | Y |
Revision as of 13:02, 23 March 2009
Most U.S. government-approved communications security equipment has designations in the form TSEC/KG-99, in which TSEC/ (note slash) is purely an identification for a designation system, not an abbreviation. It complements the AN- system used for general military electronics, which does reserve certain of the letters in the AN/ system are reserved for National Security Agency (NSA) use.
While the designation system codes are quite complex and still contain special cases, the basic structure is:
- First letter: What is its function?
- Second letter: What information or physical materials does it process?
- Optional third letter: What kind of component is it?
The next numbers indicate a main model number within the series, followed by a bewildering and inconsistent set of version levels, alternate configurations, etc. Sometimes, what may seem an incremental improvement gets an entirely new model number, while a radical change may get a version change only. In other words, grasp the general principles of the system, but know that you will have to examine a specific system to understand its designation nuances.
- TSEC/KG-13 is a cryptographic key generator (code name PONTUS)
- TSEC/KY-57 was a cryptographic speech encryptor (code name VINSON)
- TSEC/KW-7 was a cryptographic key encryptor for asynchronous character data (i.e., "Teletype") (code name ORESTES)
Designation system codes
Letter | Function | Type | Assembly |
---|---|---|---|
A | - | - | Advancing |
B | - | - | Base of cabinet |
C | COMSEC equipment | - | Combining |
D | - | - | Drawer or Panel |
E | - | - | Strip or Chassis |
F | - | - | Frame or Rack |
G | General purpose | Key generation | - |
H | Cryptographic ancillary | - | Keyboard |
I | - | Data transmission | Translator or Reader |
J | - | - | Speech Processing |
K | Cryptographic | - | - |
L | - | Literal conversion | Repeater |
M | Manufacturing | - | Memory or Storage |
N | Non-cryptographic | Signal conversion | - |
O | - | Multipurpose | Observation |
P | - | Materials Production | Power |
Q | - | - | - |
R | - | - | Receiver |
S | Special purpose | Special purpose | Synchronizing |
T | - | Testing, checking, maintenance | Transmitter |
U | - | Television | Printer |
V | - | - | Removable communications security component |
W | - | Teletypewriter | Logic Programmer or Programming |
X | - | Facsimile | Special purpose |
Y | - | Speech (ciphony) | - |
Z | - | - |