Great Things in Small Packages

Today’s soldiers are challenged by the increasing adoption of communication equipment, including personal radios, and the need to continuously monitor and transmit on multiple nets.

Mission profiles increasingly see dismounted soldiers being transported by ground or air based platforms, and mounted soldiers dismounting, and the need for constant communication in these scenarios proves problematic due to the diverse range of communication equipment deployed.

This results in reduced communication capability, or increased equipment and weight to cope with these systems – cables, adapters, additional PTT boxes, and even different headsets.

To meet this challenge, Esterline Racal Acoustics has developed the advanced RA6000 PTT System, an ergonomically designed four channel Press-To-Talk (PTT) unit which provides simple connectivity to multiple communication sources.

A convenient asset for mounted and dismounted operators alike, RA6000 allows the soldier to continuously monitor up to four communication channels simultaneously, typically two Soldier Radios, plus platform intercom and platform radio, and selectively transmit on them via four ergonomic and intuitive PTT buttons.

Hearing is a key attribute for operational soldiers in all mission profiles, the ability to understand critical information is vital including the detection of changes in the local operational environment. No less significant is the need to protect hearing for the longer term. RA6000 delivers on all fronts, with Enhanced Intelligibility, excellent Situational Awareness, and Hearing Protection options against impulse (IED blast / weapons discharge) and continuous noise (vehicle /aircraft) on the battlefield.

Hearing Protection - with integral support for different communication headsets, RA6000 suits many mission noise profiles. Supporting Circumaural, In-the-ear, Low noise and Covert headsets types, the unit provides total flexibility, allowing the soldier to select the most appropriate headset to meet hearing protection requirements, and for compatibility with other body-worn equipment. The unit automatically detects headset capability, enabling Active Noise Reduction (ANR), Talk-Through (TT) and Monaural or Binaural communications accordingly. When supported by the headset, Active Noise Reduction (ANR) is automatically enabled when the unit is connected to a platform intercom, but can continue to operate from the internal AA battery while the soldier is dismounting a noisy platform, providing additional hearing protection.

Enhanced Intelligibility - RA6000 features include Communications volume level adjustment, which can optimise intelligibility when needed. An Active Noise Limiter protects the soldier against acoustic shock through unexpected high volume Comms.

Enhanced Situational Awareness – Via a Talk-Through (TT) enabled headset, RA6000 ensures the soldiers’ natural auditory perception is maintained or enhanced by an adjustable gain control. An Active Noise Limiter protects against sudden acoustic shocks from weapons or explosions.

RA6000 operates from a single standard AA battery, or draws power from a connected Radio or Intercom. In the absence of any power source, the Fail-Safe mode enables Radio communication over a single channel.

The ergonomically shaped product is constructed from durable robust military grade materials for reliable use in harsh environments, but is compact and extremely lightweight. The intuitive user interface is simple to use, with large tactile PTT buttons, compatible and comfortable for Left and Right handed use without conversion, and functional with gloved hands.

Ideally suited for all commonly used soldier radio platforms, aircraft and vehicle intercom systems and platform radios, Esterline Racal Acoustics' RA6000 PTT System with its ergonomic design and advanced feature set, leads the way in providing comprehensive hearing protection and enables the soldier to simply and intuitively manage multiple communication sources.