A-10C Pilots Will Get 3D-Audio to Increase Situational Awareness
Already used by Royal Danish Air Force F-16s, the 3D-audio will hone threat response times for America's favorite ground attack aircraft
The U.S. Air Force will equip between 150 and 200 Fairchild-Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II combat aircraft with 3D-audio systems developed by Terma A/S , a Lystrup, Denmark-based aerospace and defense firm. The Terma 3D-audio system will enhance pilot situational awareness by supplementing the A-10C cockpit control panel visual warning system with audible directional signals from within the pilot's helmet. The natural or "spatially separated" audio signals will be similar to what a human would hear when not wearing a conventional headset.
Terma’s 3D-audio system is already employed by the Royal Danish Air Force on its Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon fourth-generation multirole fighters and can alert pilots to a variety of imminent threats by collecting data from aircraft missile warning systems, radar warner receivers, laser warner systems, and small arms detection systems by sending processed audio to a stereo headset.
Terma is the first company in the world to develop and field 3D-audio technology to reduce pilot workload and enhance situational awareness. Initial studies in a cockpit environment comparison test showed that pilots perceived the direction of an approaching missile threat 1.5 seconds faster by using 3D-audio cuing compared to only using a cockpit panel-mounted display.
The system – which is accurate to within 15 degrees of source signal azimuth and elevation – can also provide terrain obstruction warnings and link display and auditory directional cues together.
In December 2017, the U.S. Air Force issued a request for information for a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) 3D-audio system in order to improve the spatial, battlespace, and situational awareness of its A-10C pilots. On November 5, 2018, Terma was awarded a sole-source Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to deliver the system.
The A-10, originally developed by Fairchild Republic to fill close air support, forward air control, and ground attack roles, is now supported by Northrop Grumman . The aircraft’s low-speed maneuverability, durability, system redundancy, and sizable munitions loadout resulted in it gaining notoriety as a hard-hitting “tank buster” during the Gulf War.
With airframe production ending in 1984, the A-10 is an aging aircraft – current airframes range from 35 to 40 years old. However, the A-10’s effectiveness has resulted in many politically contentious service life extensions and upgrades.
The latest A-10C designation denotes aircraft that have received “Precision Engagement” upgrades to the aircraft’s fire control system, electronic countermeasures, and targeting. More recent modifications include the addition of multifunction displays, high-speed satellite communication links, and increased external fuel tanks. In November 2011, the U.S. Air Force began "re-winging" or replacing wings on existing airframes as part of the A-10’s service life extension program (SLEP).
As of February 2016, analysts estimate modernized A-10C aircraft could operate to 2040 or beyond. With approximately 350 A-10 aircraft split between active U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard fleets, Terma's IDIQ contract may increase from original delivery numbers of 150 to 200 3D-audio systems.
William Kucinski is content editor at SAE International, Aerospace Products Group in Warrendale, Pa. Previously, he worked as a writer at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland, Ohio and was responsible for writing the agency’s System Failure Case Studies. His interests include literally anything that has to do with space, past and present military aircraft, and propulsion technology.
Contact him regarding any article or collaboration ideas by e-mail at
Top Stories
INSIDERManned Systems
Turkey's KAAN Combat Aircraft Completes First Flight - Mobility Engineering...
INSIDERMaterials
FAA Expands Boeing 737 Investigation to Manufacturing and Production Lines -...
INSIDERImaging
New Video Card Enables Supersonic Vision System for NASA's X-59 Demonstrator -...
INSIDERManned Systems
Stratolaunch Approaches Hypersonic Speed in First Powered TA-1 Test Flight -...
INSIDERUnmanned Systems
Army Ends Future Attack and Reconnaissance Helicopter Development Program -...
ArticlesEnergy
Can Solid-State Batteries Commercialize by 2030? - Mobility Engineering...
Webcasts
AR/AI
From Data to Decision: How AI Enhances Warfighter Readiness
Energy
April Battery & Electrification Summit
Manufacturing & Prototyping
Tech Update: 3D Printing for Transportation in 2024
Test & Measurement
Building an Automotive EMC Test Plan
Manufacturing & Prototyping
The Moon and Beyond from a Thermal Perspective
Software
Mastering Software Complexity in Automotive: Is Release Possible...