ASTi TOC Radio Installation at The Aviation Warfighting Simulation Center (AWSC), Ft. Rucker, AL

The AWSC at Ft Rucker will support several training programs, including Flight School XXI, and will provide facilities for a wide range of virtual, live and constructive training activities, including initial flight training, leader development and aviation training exercises. Planned features include:

• Reconfigurable Simulators (AVCATT-A)
• High-fidelity TH-67 Creek Simulators
• Digital Tactical Operation Centers (TOC)
• Brigade and Battalion TOCs
• Battlemaster, Stealth, Instructor/Role Player and Semi-automated Forces (SAF)
• After-Action Review Rooms (AAR)

ASTi's first phase of delivery to the AWSC included the ASTi TOC Radio, a full-fidelity, simulated communications environment for operators in the AWSC Digital TOCs.

ASTi's Radio TOC product is specifically designed to simulate the full-fidelity communications environment found in a U.S. Army tactical operation center, and fills all of the communications requirements for the AWSC Digital TOCs.

A summary of the Radio TOC installation procedure proves that this shrink-wrap product is designed to epitomize ease of set setup and operation:

• Snap the modular hardware components together
• Preset communications parameters using system software utilities
• Communicate

Features of the ASTi Radio TOC product include:

• Available in either Four Net or Eight Net versions
• Each net provides the communications functionality of a single high-fidelity radio transceiver
• Full-fidelity radio nets provide:
  • Propagation effects, squelch, crypto and frequency hopping, tones & other audio effects, and jamming
  • AVCATT-A compatible operation
  • Tactical data link, terrain & propagation modeling
  • Network communications via standard DIS for local and long-haul distributed exercise support
  • HLA upgrades are also available
• Users enter initial system operational settings (receive / transmit selection, tune frequency, crypto keys, hopsets, volume) in a simple script file.
• Simulated SINCGARS radio transceiver panels provide users with the real-world look, feel, and operational fidelity of the actual Army field radio transceiver. ASTi also offers a lower cost user control panel option, the Handheld Terminal.
• Scalability is as easy as adding more TOC systems to the simulation network.

• ASTi MiniDACS - communication simulation processing node with: digital signal processor, network communications software suite, network-wide monitoring tools and built-in self-test utilities
• ASTi RIU - compact, DSP-based, networked device providing digital distribution of audio and control signals to multiple operators via a single loop of network cable
• User Communications Control Panels (two options are available: Low-cost, generic Handheld Terminal and High-fidelity SINCGARS panels).
• The AWSC selected ASTi simulated SINCGARS radio panel to provide soldiers with the real-world look, feel and operational fidelity of the Army field radio transceiver. ASTi provided one SINCGARS panel per TOC radio net.
• Audio Ancillaries (available as options): the AWSC decided to populate each TOC communications station with: a Paging Mic with built-in PTT and Powered Speakers.
• Other available ancillary options include: professional headset with noise-canceling mic, PTT switch with volume control, MIL field handset with PTT

1. MiniDACS: connections as shown.
2. TDM Ring: comprised of standard Category 5 patch cable. Combined length of all TDM cables can reach up to 700 feet.
3. ASTi Remote Interface Unit.
4. Serial Cable, connects to RIU as shown and SINCGARS panel SERIAL PORT
5. ASTi Simulated SINCGARS RT
6. Shure Paging Mic with PTT: connect as shown
7. ASTi Speaker Cable: connect as shown
8. Fostex Powered Speaker