HGU-99/P
The world's top performing hearing protection device
HGU-99/P makes the dangerous, dynamic, and extremely loud aircraft carrier flight deck environment safer for personnel. It offers Z-89.1 head protection and has three layers of passive hearing protection, providing unmatched attenuation. Its integrated electronic "face-to-face" technology recreates the ambient soundscape at safe levels. This technology allows personnel to maintain situational awareness while simultaneously protecting their hearing.
Edare ensures that every unit meets the rigorous reliability, safety, and quality standards required for Navy flight deck operations. Through strategic supplier partnerships, in-house manufacturing, and comprehensive performance testing, Edare produces thousands of these high-performing hearing protection systems each year—delivering real-world impact and improving lives when the stakes are highest.
Delivering results for products inhigh-demand environments
Edare's full-rate production met fleet demands and enabled HGU-99/P to excel on the flight decks of aircraft carriers.
The HGU-99/P delivers transformative performance compared to legacy cranial helmets, providing approximately six times greater hearing protection in high-noise flight deck environments while preserving situational awareness through controlled electronic hear-through technology. The system integrates seamlessly with flight deck radios and aircraft communication systems and incorporates enhanced head impact protection within a single platform. Its performance has been validated through repeated fleet assessments and real-world operational trials, confirming its effectiveness in demanding maritime aviation environments.
Following low-rate initial production (LRIP), Edare assumed responsibility for scaling the helmet into steady-state manufacturing and fleet delivery. Edare’s role encompasses refining the design to ensure efficient, scalable production; coordinating suppliers and maintaining rigorous quality oversight; performing precision assembly and full systems integration; supporting environmental and durability validation efforts; and maintaining configuration control and lifecycle support to ensure consistent, long-term performance in demanding operational environments. The program has since transitioned into full-rate production, scaling output to approximately 2,000 helmets per year — establishing steady-state manufacturing capability to support fleet-wide deployment.
Jeff McPherson
senior program director
Bringing complex technologies to life in the defense industry
Jeff McPherson leads HGU-99/P Hearing Protection Helmet program. A mechanical engineer with extensive experience in manufacturing, product development, and quality systems, Jeff brings a deep understanding of precision processes and cross-functional collaboration to his work. Before taking on this role, he implemented an FDA-compliant quality management system at Edare to support new product initiatives and managed production of other products.
With a proven record of leading complex manufacturing improvements—such as modernizing legacy processes, introducing Lean principles, and overseeing multimillion-dollar capital projects—Jeff combines technical expertise with strategic leadership to ensure products meet the highest standards of performance, safety, and reliability.