Sagetech Avionics Awarded $248.5M Army Contract for APX-128 Advanced IFF Production
Bingen, WA - April 23, 2026 - /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Sagetech Avionics Inc is excited to announce the receipt of SBIR Phase 3 contract W15P7T-26-D-A001 from the U.S. Army for the production of the new AN/APX-128 Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder. This 10-year $248,500,000 Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract supports the integration and deployment of the APX-128 across Army helicopters, other Department of War assets and Foreign Military Sales.
This advanced transponder includes ADS-B IN capabilities which align with anticipated requirements in the ALERT Act, currently in Congress, and can be upgraded to include the collision avoidance capability of ACAS Xr. Unlike legacy systems, the APX-128 is fully Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) compliant, improving aircraft lifecycle and configuration management.
“The APX-128 is a MOSA-compliant, upgradeable solution which will enhance airspace safety in training missions and protect our warfighters in combat,” commented Tom Furey, CEO of Sagetech Avionics. “With a flexible architecture and modular design, this platform can be upgraded and customized for legacy and future aircraft platforms alike.”
The APX-128 is an extension of Sagetech’s MX12B and ACX-3000M transponder lines, and was rapidly developed under a separate SBIR contract with partner R Cubed Engineering. “The rapid development of the APX-128 was a testament to the deep technical skills of Sagetech’s engineering team, our partnership with the Department of War, and the robust collaboration between Sagetech, the Army, and our partners at R Cubed Engineering,” described Matt Hamilton, CTO of Sagetech Avionics. “The Army’s need to quickly replace an obsolete IFF in their aircraft along with increasing risks of mid-air collisions in crowded airspace created a sense of urgency among all of the collaborators, enabling Sagetech’s rapid progression to production and fielding of this technology.”
Sagetech (https://www.sagetech.com) is extremely proud to support our warfighters with this low size, weight, power and cost system, providing significant upgrade options while seamlessly replacing legacy obsolete hardware.
About Sagetech Avionics
Sagetech Avionics is an aerospace technology company empowering safe flight in crewed and uncrewed aircraft with certifiable situational awareness solutions. Currently serving military and civil duty on a broad range of UAV platforms, Sagetech solutions are mission-proven and offer decades of program experience, certifications, and millions of flight hours to deliver maximum value over the life of an unmanned platform. Today, Sagetech is expanding its technology platform to create comprehensive, certifiable systems such as detect and avoid solutions. Every day, Sagetech works in concert with its extensive ecosystem of OEM customers, technology partners, and resellers to ensure all aircraft can fly safer with Sagetech on board.