Description

The EAWIS is a joint effort with the U.S. Navy that provides increased safety and mission performance. The EAWIS eliminates the mobility restrictions and safety hazards inherent to tethered intercoms for aircrews operating in and around the aircraft.

The hands-free mode increases safety in high-risk search and rescue, nighttime, and rescue hoist operations. The system also improves communications and safety during operations such as refueling, loading, offloading, and rearming. EAWIS supplements the current aircraft corded intercom system for both flight and ground operations for the Army’s CH-47 and HH/UH-60 aircraft, as well as the Navy’s CH-46, SH-60, and CH/HH-53 aircraft.

The system consists of 1 aircraft-mounted interface unit and a mobile transceiver worn by the crew member. The system has a full duplex voice-activated mode, hands-free mode, and a push-to-talk mode. It features 100 independent channels (aircraft networks) with up to 6 crew members on each aircraft network able to hear and talk simultaneously. EAWIS enables simultaneous omnidirectional communications among all users in the aircraft network within 200 feet of the center of the aircraft.