ASTi will deliver five (5) Digital Audio Communication Systems (DACS) to Saab AB to provide communications and aural cue modeling of the JAS 39 Gripen aircraft. The latest order is a follow-on to a 2003 contract, and will see Gripen simulators shipped around the world to various defense organizations, including: Swedish Armed Forces, Hungarian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Defense Czech Republic, and South African National Defence Force.

ASTi’s DACS platform provides Saab AB with the ability to model the audio environment of the real aircraft in the simulated world. The DACS audio model will include Tactical Data Link (TDL) radio, communications radios and aircraft intercom bus simulation, as well as a fully-developed aural cue system. The model will also include support the generation of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) tones and Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) audio. The DACS’ network-centric design allows the Gripen trainers to operate individually, or linked to the network for group training.

Rockwell Collins (formerly NLX Corporation) of Sterling, VA has awarded ASTi a subcontract to provide a communications and aural cue solution for the E-2C Simulated Maintenance Trainer (SMT). ASTi will deliver a Model Builder Visual (MBV) Telestra system with a software model that will simulate the full set of aircraft radios and a set of instructor radios for role playing.

The software model will also include the aircraft intercom system for communication among the five trainee positions, an instructor to trainee intercom—which will provide communication between the four instructors and the trainees—as well as a private instructor intercom. Finally, the model will generate environmental sounds to enhance the training experience by facilitating aircraft fault identification.

In addition to the hardware and software modeling, ASTi is providing end-to-end support from requirements analysis through critical design review (CDR) to final integration. ASTi has enjoyed a number of contract awards for various E-2C and E-2T training programs and system upgrades since 2001.

FlightSafety International (FSI) selected ASTi to provide all the networked radio simulation functionality for two High Level Architecture (HLA) compliant KC-135 Stratotanker simulators for an upcoming proof-of-concept demonstration. “The U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 fleet… refuels Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force combat aircraft, strategic bombers, command and control aircraft, and airlift aircraft.”*

Using one Digital Audio Communication System (DACS) and one Telestra platform per trainer, ASTi will supply a complete HLA audio solution with networked radios and intercoms. The ASTi Radio simulation object model (SOM) has been incorporated into FSI’s federation object model (FOM). This integration allows the end user to enjoy the flexibility offered by the HLA simulation standard, yet leverage ASTi’s specific expertise in radio and communications modeling.