Detecting and Defeating Threats — the Audio Superpower

Terma proudly announces the successful installation of over 100 of its advanced 3D-Audio systems on U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft, joining many F-16 fleets around the world. The Self-Protection System enhances aircrew situational awareness of the surrounding threat environment by correlating auditory threat warnings with their spatial location relative to the pilot.

Rob Strasser, VP, Self-Protection Systems at Terma Inc., emphasized the significance of this effort: "At Terma, we are dedicated to aircrew protection. The integration of Terma's 3D-Audio system onto the A-10C (as well as the F-16) enhances survivability through heightened pilot situational awareness and operational efficiency. Hearing where a missile is coming from with closure rates upwards of 5000 ft/s, for example, increases response times…it buys aircrew those precious seconds to react—that’s a superpower!"

The 3D-Audio system is compatible with all aircraft types and includes several tools to enhance sound quality and clarity. The system provides high-fidelity digital audio signals from both existing and future aircraft radio and audio sources. By spatially separating the audio sources into distinct locations within the pilot’s field of aural perception, the system aligns audio signals with the physical location of transmitting entities, enhancing threat warning systems and other directional-based audio sources.  The system also spatially separates multiple radio frequencies to eliminate the “crowded room” effect; and includes a state-of-the-art active noise reduction capability to reduce “noise fatigue”.

Key milestones and collaboration details:

• Trial Vehicle Installs: Conducted in the Continental United States (CONUS) Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Nellis Air Force Base and Internationally to include several European Participating Air Forces
• Major CONUS Contract Details: The $34 million order from the Department of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center WAA division, Hill Air Force Base, includes software development, hardware production, and aircraft installation.

Collaborators: Terma (Denmark & US) handled system design, environmental qualifications, hardware production, program management, integration, and aircraft test/evaluation plan development. Our partner, Gauss Management Research & Engineering (GMRE) managed aircraft electrical wiring design and technical data development, wiring harness production, aircraft/commodity Time Compliance Technical Orders (TCTO), Technical Order (TO) certification, and Contract Field Team (CFT) installations.

For more information, visit the Terma booth at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 (booth #2320 in Hall 2) and experience the future of aircraft audio management.

To learn more about 3D-Audio.