Collaboration with Invisio Continues
Marlborough Communications (MCL), a Cohort company, announced on 2 June it has won two further contracts from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), strengthening its position as the Ministry’s leading supplier of hearing protection systems.
The company has received a follow-on order worth £3.2 million for its S10 Tactical Hearing Protection Systems (THPS), a system that provides hearing protection for RAF, Royal Navy and Reservist personnel. It has also won a new contract to provide In Ear Communication Devices (IECD) for RAF pilots and air crew. The latter contract has an initial value of £2.3 million over five years with options for a further two years. The two agreements bring to five the number of hearing protection contracts MCL has been awarded in the last two years, which total nearly £30 million.
MCL works with Danish-based Invisio Communications to supply THPS for the Dismounted Close Combat User (THPS DCCU), an in-ear hearing protection and communication system for use on a single radio; it is made up of two components – the X5 Bone Conduction Hearing Protection Headset and the inline control unit.
MCL has also teamed with Banbury-based Advanced Communication Solutions (ACS), a proven supplier of hearing protection systems to the music industry and motor sport sector, for the RAF and air crew systems. MCL will be responsible for the design, manufacture and integration of the harnesses and overall project management.
The solution is already proven in service with the RAF and the Royal Danish Air Force and incorporates venting for rapid in-flight altitude changes without discomfort as well as a unique acoustic filter, which attenuates noise without blocking the ear completely. This provides air crew with the ideal balance of hearing protection and situational awareness, while the earpieces are manufactured using a unique grade of silicone refined through trials and proven by aircrew to provide maximum comfort in the ear over prolonged periods.
“These latest contracts underline our position as the leading supplier of hearing protection for the UK armed forces. THPS DCCU is already proving to be a major success with tens of thousands of systems in use, while we will be working closely with ACS to ensure that RAF air crew benefit from the latest technology through the supply of further bespoke advanced systems,” Darren Allery, MCL’s Managing Director, explained.
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Tim Mahon