Electronic Voice Communications Improvements for Army Aircraft.

The communications systems on all Army aircraft flying today are based on design concepts that are over 50-years old. We have designed a totally modern, state-of-the-art communications system for Army aircraft, and have published two new specifications which contain many of the modern test procedures required to accurately test and evaluate the various components of the communication system. As a first step in the development of new test procedures, we evaluated both ASA and ANSI standards and found them lacking. The components of the new state-of-the-art communications system will include, as a minimum high impedance DC powered noise canceling microphones using piezoelectric ceramic, electret, or PVF2 diaphragms earphone elements designed and tested to have flat frequency response when inside the circumaural earcup of the hearing protective device and intercoms which replace positive peak-clipping with fast-acting AGC circuits and expandercompander circuits for maximum output signal without distortion, even under conditions of extremes stress. In the future, audio signals in the microphone will be converted into the digital mode or directly into the optical spectrum for high efficiency, and secure communications inside the aircraft. The savings in weight and security improvements will be considerable.