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KY - 28 ( NESTOR )
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KY - 28 ( NESTOR )

Information : The KY-28 was an analog, voice encryption device based on transistor circuitry and was the shipboard/airborne member of the NESTOR family of equipment.

With reference to the photo, the KYK-38 (the black box on top of the KY-28) was used to input the key set. Surrounded by a clamshell cover, it contained rows of pins corresponding to the rows of small holes on the front of the KY-28. It was keyed through a small coverplate, that when opened, exposed a number of holes. A key charging device was used that was comprised of slide stops on a series of rods and a cam mechanisim to force the rods out to the distance set by the slide stops against spring pressure. The rods would penetrate the holes and set permuter contacts according to the depth of penetration. It took a lot of pressure to load a key set. A zeroize pin was activated by closing the cover, such that opening the cover again would zeroize the permuter settings, which would also render the equipment incapable of passing an alarm check and passing to operating mode. For aircraft operation, the policy was to wire the door shut using safety wire before the aircraft was cleared for flight.

The charging device was set according to a distributed and classified key list. The KY-28 equipment was owned by individual services and held the classification of the keys when loaded.

ky28.jpgCaption: The black block sitting on top of the KY-28 is the KYK-38 and it plugs into the front of the unit. This device is on display at the MARCOM Museum in Halifax. (Photo by Jerry Proc)

The device was also fitted with a internal shock sensor. If the aircraft crashed, the resulting 'G' forces would trip this sensor thus resetting the key. This measure was implemented in order to prevent a keyed up device from falling into enemy hands. Sometimes the sensor tripped as a result of a hard landing. As a further security precaution, the KYK-38 key plug was left on the ground. The KYK-28 had two lights as well as a plain/cipher switch. A green light indicated cipher mode and a red light was used for plain mode. If the unit was zeroed, the green would not light up even if the cipher/plain switch was switched to cipher. It would default to plain mode only.

Control of the KY-28 was facilitated by mounting a KYK-28 control panel in the cockpit of the aircraft. The pilot's microphone was plugged into the KYK-28 control assembly and the encrypted audio output as well the transmit keying line was wired directly into the audio and control inputs of the transmitter of transceiver. Voice quality and recognition using this crypto device was awful. Even under optimal conditions, every one sounded like Donald Duck. The only application where I seen it used was in FM radio voice communications. The KY-28 system was replaced in the 1980's by a newer family of equipment that used a digital encryption scheme.