Terma has secured a $9m contract for its Self-Protection System (SPS) business area to equip the US Air Force Combat Command’s (USAF ACC) F-16 fighter aircraft with its 3D-Audio system.  

This contract will enable the Air Combat Command to upgrade its fleet of F-16s with Terma's mission-critical equipment over the next two years. 

Terma Self-Protection Systems vice-president Rob Strasser said: “With this award, the 3D-Audio program continues to be a significant cornerstone of our offerings to meet the demand for best-in-class audio systems from the global community.” 

The F-16 is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft capable of locating targets in all weather conditions and detecting low-flying aircraft amid radar ground clutter.  

In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles, deliver its weapons with accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. 

The aircraft is equipped with UHF and VHF radios, an instrument landing system, a warning system, and modular countermeasure pods to counter airborne or surface electronic threats.  

Its fuselage also has space for additional avionics systems. 

Terma’s 3D-Audio system, which is compatible with all aircraft types, provides high-fidelity digital audio signals by spatially separating radio signals, aligning audio with threat directions, and integrating active noise reduction.  

This technology is designed to eliminate the ‘crowded-room’ effect, allowing pilots to respond quickly and accurately during missions. 

In 2023, the US State Department approved the foreign military sale to Romania of equipment and services required to undertake mid-life updates to 32 Block 10/15 F-16 fighters procured from Norway.