The Naval Air Systems Command’s Aircrew Systems Program Office selected Aware Defense as its exclusive end-to-end provider of 3D-scanned, custom-fit hearing protection and communications earplugs for Naval Aviation personnel.
Aware Defense, a division of Aware Custom Biometric Wearables (Aware CBW), has been awarded a sole-source Program of Record contract by the Naval Air Systems Command’s Aircrew Systems Program Office (PMA-202) to supply custom hearing protection devices to the US Navy — a five-year agreement that will scale production to 42,000 custom-fit units starting Aug 1, 2026, at Naval Air Stations across the continental United States and overseas.
The contract establishes Aware Defense as the Navy’s exclusive end-to-end source for 3D digital ear scanning, manufacturing of custom hearing protection and Communications Earplugs (CEP), and delivery of devices precision-engineered to the individual ear anatomy of Naval Aviation aircrew and flight-line maintainers.
Hearing loss remains one of the most prevalent and costly injuries across the Department of Defense, and the award reflects a continued push within military aviation to address it at scale through individualized solutions.
eFit Scanner at the Core
The program is anchored by Aware’s eFit scanner. The eFit is described as the only non-contact optical 3D scanning system that uses radial illumination to capture the true geometry of the ear and ear canal past the second bend, with dimensional accuracy of less than 90 microns. The company uses the resulting digital ear models to drive additive manufacturing of custom-fit devices.
“Hearing loss is one of the most common service-connected disabilities, and it is preventable. Because every ear is different, our eFit scanner and advanced additive manufacturing deliver precision-built protection and communications for mission-critical environments, custom fit at scale. This award reflects the US Navy’s commitment to preventing hearing loss and sets a new standard for protecting the warfighter,” says Sam Kellett Jr, CEO of Aware, in a release.
The approach aligns with a broader industry trend toward digital ear scanning as an alternative to traditional impression-taking for custom in-ear devices — a shift that has gained traction across both clinical audiology and defense applications.
Proven Field Execution Before Scale-Up
The sole-source award builds on an earlier phase of the program. Under initial program funding, Aware Defense conducted on-site 3D ear scanning events nationwide and delivered 6,373 custom-fit devices from September 2025 to July 2026, working alongside NAVAIR Aeromedical Safety Officers and Navy audiologists to fit service members.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with the Navy to accelerate the fielding of advanced hearing protection. We know that gear that fits gets worn, and every ear scan and custom-fit device advances our mission to protect warfighters and preserve long-term hearing health. Our team has proven its ability to seamlessly scan 700 personnel in five days and have precision-fit devices in the warfighters’ ears within 60 days, enabling rapid program expansion across Naval Aviation,” says Stu Booker, president of Aware Defense, in a release.
Implications for Military Hearing Health
The contract’s scope — covering both hearing protection and communications functionality — reflects the dual demands placed on in-ear devices in high-noise aviation environments, where situational awareness and speech intelligibility must be preserved alongside noise attenuation. Military and defense-focused hearing protection has seen growing investment from manufacturers seeking to address the unique acoustic challenges of military service, and the PMA-202 award signals that the Navy is moving toward individualized, digitally manufactured solutions as a programmatic standard.
Aware CBW is the parent company of Aware Defense and describes itself as a leader in custom in-ear devices for hearing protection, communications, and biometric monitoring, all powered by proprietary 3D ear scanning technology. Aware Defense is led by retired DoD military personnel. More information is available at awarecbw.com and awaredefense.us.
