The KYK-13 Electronic Transfer Device is a common

fill device A fill device or key loader is a module used to load cryptographic keys into electronic encryption machines. Fill devices are usually hand held and electronic ones are battery operated. Older mechanical encryption systems, such as rotor machin ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

National Security Agency The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collecti ...

for the transfer and loading of

cryptographic keys A key in cryptography is a piece of information, usually a string of numbers or letters that are stored in a file, which, when processed through a cryptographic algorithm, can encode or decode cryptographic data. Based on the used method, the key c ...

with their corresponding check word. The KYK-13 is battery powered and uses the DS-102 protocol for key transfer. Its

National Stock Number A NATO Stock Number, or National Stock Number (NSN) as it is known in the US, is a 13-digit numeric code used by the NATO military alliance, identifying all the 'standardized material items of supply' as they have been recognized by all member s ...

is 5810-01-026-9618. Even though the KYK-13 was first introduced in 1976 and was supposed to have been obsoleted by the AN/CYZ-10 Data Transfer Device, it is still widely used because of its simplicity and reliability. A simpler device than the CYZ-10, the KIK-30 "Really Simple Key loader" (RASKL) is now planned to replace the KYK-13s, with up to $200 million budgeted to procure them in quantity.

Components

* P1 and J1 Connectors - Electrically the same connection. Used to connect to a fill cable, COMSEC device, KOI-18, KYX-15, another KYK-13, or AN/CYZ-10. * Battery Compartment - Holds battery which powers KYK-13. * Mode Switch - Three position rotary switch used to select operation modes. ** "Z" - Used to zeroize selected keys. ** ON - Used to fill and transfer keys. ** OFF CHECK - Used to conduct parity checks. * Parity Lamp - Blinks when parity is checked or fill is transferred. * Initiate Push button - Push this button when loading or zeroizing the KYK-13. * Address Select Switch - Seven position rotary switch. ** "Z" ALL - Zeroizes all 6 storage registers when mode switch is set to "Z". ** 1 THROUGH 6 - Six storage registers for storing keys in KYK-13.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kyk-13 Key management National Security Agency encryption devices Military equipment introduced in the 1970s