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Aroflex II
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Aroflex II
Online/Offline cipher machine - Wanted item

The Aroflex II was an online/offline encryption device developed in the early 1990s by Siemens (Germany) and Philips Usfa (Netherlands) as the successor to the successful Aroflex cipher machine used by NATO. It is also known as PDLX-6141 (Philips) and T-1285CA (Siemens). Development of the machine took many years and only very few were ever built.

The image on the right shows a basic Aroflex II setup. It consists of a main unit, similar to a computer, with a separate monitor and a full keyboard. The output is printed to an external printer that is similar in design.

At the front of the main unit is the so-called Crypto Ignition Key (CIK) that it used to protect the internally stored cryptographic keys. An optional paper-tape reader/puncher could be attached for backwards compatibility with legacy 5-level teletype equipment. All units fully meet NATO TEMPEST requirements.
Promotional photograph of the Aroflex II (taken from brochure) [2]

The basic T1285 teletype was completely developed by Siemens AG in München (Germany). It had a built-in text editor that allowed text to be formatted in a variety of ways. Philips Crypto BV in Eindhoven (Netherlands) took care of the crytographic parts that were fully integrated.

The crypto-parts consisted of the Crypto Ignition Key (CIK), the interface for a standard key filler and two separate crypto-units: one with state-of-the-art Aroflex II algorithms and one for compatibility with legacy Aroflex units. The latter allowed a smooth transition from the thousands of original Aroflex units in the field, to the new Aroflex II.