U.S. Army soldiers on patrol using equipment which could be adapted for airsoft gear The U.S. Army have been introducing a new ear plug which has quite a few Call of Duty style perks, including reduced explosion noise and amplified quiet sounds in a close vicinity. The Tactical Communication and Protective System (TCAPS) protects the ears from loud noises such as explosions, whilst also giving them enhanced hearing of noises and whispers in their immediate environment, improving situational awareness. Hearing problems are often a problem associated with soldiers in the military, as they handle loud equipment such as firearms and artillery, or are in a loud environment with explosions and aircrafts flying overhead. It has been found that more than half of the troops who have returned from Afghanistan and Iraq have some form of damage to their ears, so developing an aid to help this problem has long been a military priority. There are currently 20,000 units deployed so far, and it has been reported that the smart system provides crystal clear, louder sound whilst simultaneously lowering the volume. Soldiers have said that soft sounds such as a door opening or a twig breaking have been amplified thanks to the earpiece. But why have only 20,000 units of this superpower earpiece been deployed into the field? It is a matter of cost, as each earpiece costs around $2,000. This means unless the costs are kept down by the manufacturer, not every soldier will be equipped with one. Whether or not a similar earpiece will be available on the civilian market is yet to be seen, but having one of these bad boys in your airsoft gear could be handy for listening to people sneaking up on your position! Until then, you’ll have keep your ear peeled the good ol’ fashioned way…