3D-audio systems to be added to more U.S. Air Force F-16s
NewsOctober 31, 2025
ARLINGTON, Virginia. Terma won a $10.5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide 170 additional three-dimensional (3D) audio systems for the F-16 Fighting Falcon, bringing the service's total order to 310 units, the company announced in a statement.
The 3D-audio system is designed to improve situational awareness by spatially separating radio, intercom, and warning sounds so that pilots hear them from the corresponding direction of origin, the statement reads. According to the company, the system integrates with head-tracking equipment and aircraft defensive aids to help aircrew detect and respond to threats.
Terma says the system also includes active noise reduction and enhanced audio clarity to support communication and reduce pilot workload. The upgrade is installed as a replacement for existing intercom units and does not require major cockpit modifications, the company says.
The Air Force initially fielded the technology on Royal Danish Air Force F-16s alongside the ALQ-213 electronic warfare system, and it has since been deployed on additional F-16 and A-10C platforms, the statement reads. Terma adds that the system is also being evaluated for other fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.
