Which components provide cryptographic support in a Link 16 network?

• A. Ground station antennas only
• B. Net Control Station (NCS) with cryptographic support
• C. End-user workstations
• D. MIDS terminals only

Answer: (B)

In Link 16, cryptographic protection is coordinated centrally by the Net Control Station. The NCS with cryptographic support loads and distributes the cryptographic keys, maintains key material, and ensures all participating units are synchronized to use the same crypto material for secure transmissions. The MIDS terminals at the endpoints perform the actual encryption and decryption of payloads, but they rely on the keys and crypto management provided by the NCS to operate securely across the network. Ground station antennas are just RF hardware and do not implement crypto, and end-user workstations do not manage Link 16 security. So, the component that provides the network-wide cryptographic control and support is the Net Control Station with cryptographic support.