Clear communications in noisy environments is the key to operational effectiveness for Armed forces around the world. Additionally, the need to protect soldiers’ hearing has become of paramount importance politically, financially and to maintain operational effectiveness.

Delivering clear and concise communications while protecting soldiers’ hearing and providing situational awareness in a high tempo operation is a primary objective.

In response to recent press stories relating to soldiers returning from theatre with impaired hearing, the UK MoD made the following statement on the Defence News website, 31 October 2008:-

“The MOD recognises that some soldiers are returning from operations with impaired hearing and takes the issue of Noise Induced Hearing Loss seriously. We are continually looking at ways of monitoring and mitigating the risk in operational scenarios."

One such project has been initiated to develop a system that will provide soldiers with personalised operational hearing protection which will be comfortable to wear and will provide situational awareness while at the same time attenuating damaging noise. Subject to further trials and testing the new system will consist of two parts - custom-moulded ear plugs for each soldier which will connect to the personal radio and replace the existing boom-mic and head-set through a talk-through system. This will allow the user to block out loud bangs of the firing and still be able to talk and listen to your colleagues on the ground. Subject to further trials and testing the equipment should be ready for fielding by April 2009, and maybe sooner subject to successful training with the system.”

As a result of this project, a contract was placed in support of a recent UoR to equip thousands of troops to be deployed in Afghanistan with hearing protection and an associated communications system. Racal Acoustics was awarded a contract to supply its Frontier1000 system to the UK MoD for the Personal Interfaced Hearing Protection System (PIHP) project. This is a new system consisting of:

•Custom moulded ear plugs – these provide high quality hearing protection against impulse sounds and medium noise vehicles. In use, the ear plugs are easy to fit, comfortable and durable. They can be used with a communication system or on their own for training protection.

•In-ear headset – this is for use with the in-service PRR radio and provides clear communications in a small, robust, headset without a boom mic.

•Situational awareness mics – these provide complete awareness of external environment sounds into both ears while at the same protecting the user from high volume sounds.

•An interface box - this houses a device to reduce the sound level from firing and explosions, whilst still allowing the user to be able to talk and listen to colleagues on the ground.

All of these features, together with a small battery, switch box and cabling with suitable retaining clips, are provided in a small form factor. This gives a very lightweight, simple, headset system that integrates well with other body worn equipment.

Racal Acoustics worked closely with a number of Army agencies to ensure that the Frontier1000 (PIHP) communications solution provided exactly what was needed. There were no unnecessary bells and whistles, no “nice to have” technology, just exactly the functionality that was required. In choosing Racal Acoustics, the UK MoD knew they had a supplier on board with a wealth of experience and the capability to deliver the best solution in tight UoR timescales.