In January, ASTi received its first equipment follow-on order from L-3 Communications’ Link Simulation & Training division for the U.S. Army’s Flight School XXI (FSXXI) helicopter flight training program. Under the latest contract, ASTi will deliver a total of 16 Digital Audio Communication Systems (DACS) and two (2) Telestra platforms to Link’s Arlington, TX facility.

Two of the DACS will be used for FSXXI’s Advanced Aircraft Virtual Simulator (AAVS) Instrument- and Operational Flight Trainers (IFTs/OFTs), providing simulated communications and environmental audio. The two Telestra servers will deliver high-frequency (HF) radio propagation, automatic link establishment (ALE) and terrain interference effects to the AAVS trainers.

Twelve (12) DACS will add after-action review (AAR) capability, while the final two DACS will supplement network communications for the Reconfigurable Training Device Instructor/Operator Station (RCTD IOS).

The original contract for the first batch of ASTi equipment was received in August, 2004. For more information, please see: “ASTi Supplies FSXXI Comms and Audio”

ASTi shipped thirteen (13) new Digital Audio Communication Systems (DACS) to Lockheed Martin for use at the USAF’s Distributed Mission Operations Center (DMOC). Four of these systems will be used at the DMOC headquarters at Kirtland AFB, NM. The remainder will be distributed to Mt. Home AFB, ID and sites in Savannah, GA & Connecticut.

These systems—in concert with DMOC’s extensive, installed base of ASTi equipment—will be at the center of radio simulation and networked audio comms in ongoing and new projects alike. ASTi’s cohesive audio communications environment offers DMOC the flexibility to conduct exercises of any magnitude, coast-to-coast and anywhere in between.