A300 ARR TO SDF RPTED TCAS RA WHILE ON VECTORS AT 4000 FT TO THE APCH.

Narrative

WE WERE LEVEL AT 4000 FT HDG 270 DES UNDER APCH RADAR CTL. THE CTLR WAS DISCUSSING A XPONDER CODE WITH THE OFFENDING ACFT PLT. BECAUSE OF THAT DISCUSSION; WE WERE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OR RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS FROM ATC WE RECEIVED A TA AND ATTEMPTED TO GET A VISUAL ON THE ACFT. THE TA WAS FOLLOWED BY THE RA. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND COMPLIED WITH THE RA WITH A 4000 FPM RATE OF CLB. WE WERE CLR OF CONFLICT AT APPROX 4500 FT AND BEGAN TO RETURN TO 4000 FT. THE CTLR FINISHED HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE OTHER PLT WHO REPLIED 'SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION.' THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 17L. THE FO ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE HAD AN RA WITH AN ACFT THAT REQUIRED US TO CLB. THE CTLR STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT WHICH WAS OPERATING VFR. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US FOR THE APCH AND ADVISED US TO CONTACT TWR. TAXIING IN; I NOTIFIED GND CTL OF THE INCIDENT AND STATED THAT A RPT WOULD FOLLOW. WE PULLED THE CVR CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND MADE A COMMENT IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK TO THAT EFFECT.