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US Army Considers a Smartphone For Every Soldier

Posted by timothy on from the can-you-hear-me-now dept.

destinyland writes "The US Army is seriously considering the idea of issuing a smartphone to every soldier, and they're already modernizing one Texas brigade 'through a range of electronic devices that will include not just smartphones but tablet devices, e-reader and mini-projectors.' The company that developed Patriot missiles has already created several dedicated military apps for both iPhone and Android phones, including one that allows soldiers to track colleague's locations on the battlefield. Interestingly, the army is likely to use an off-the-shelf model, heightening the war between Apple and Android phones. Apple's non-replaceable batteries may become an issue in the field, since 'plugging the phone in to recharge isn't always a viable option in the middle of combat.'"

19 of 279 comments (clear)

  1. Not now Mom by Cidtek · · Score: 5, Funny

    I gotta get back to ya later Mom - I'm kinda engaged right now.

    1. Re:Not now Mom by c6gunner · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yea, funny mental picture, but I remember as far back as 1999 getting a call on my cell from a friend while in the middle of combat training. Apparently she was freaking out for the next day or two because she heard gunfire and explosions in the background, with me saying "kinda busy, call ya back".

    2. Re:Not now Mom by russ1337 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I had a similar experience. A few years ago I was trying to keep contact with a girl while I was away, so gave her a call while on an exercise. During the call she said 'what is that banging noise?' ... 'oh that, that's just some artillery fire... so anyway, what are you wearing?'

  2. Didn't they just ban by Dyinobal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Didn't they just ban all portable mass storage devices as security risks? I mean what do they think these smart phones are?

    1. Re:Didn't they just ban by Beerdood · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I mean what do they think these smart phones are?

      Another method of turning taxpayer money into corporate profit

      --
      Global warming and other natural disasters are a direct effect of the shrinking number of pirates - Gospel of the FSM
    2. Re:Didn't they just ban by gig · · Score: 3, Insightful

      > what do they think these smart phones are?

      They think they are computers that don't require you to have a desk. That is all. They have already replaced many PC's with iPod touch, because they look at it as a mobile PC, and they value mobility. That is why the US military is really interested in iPads.

      iOS devices do not attach as USB mass storage. You have to add an app like Air Sharing (which is easily prohibited by a device policy) just to see a file system.

  3. Upload to Wikileaks by commlinx · · Score: 5, Funny

    Upload to Wikileaks, is there an app for that?

  4. brilliant! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder how much other Chinese electronics it'll be a good idea to use on the battlefield.

    User space apps by DARPA. Rootkit by the the PLA.

  5. Re:This doesn't sound like a good idea by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I doubt this is intended for the battlefield. Remember,soldiers spend 99.999% of their time not in combat, doing training or planning or arranging to get from point a to point b or whatever. The smarphones would probably fill a similar role as they do in any modern corporation, having little direct involvement in actual combat operations for the foreseeable future.

  6. What about the other way around? by papaia · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'd rather have a Smartsoldier for Every Phone

    --
    == With enough Will Power, one could move mountains. With enough Brains, one would just leave them where they are ==
  7. Re:This doesn't sound like a good idea by Haedrian · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I was thinking that as well, then I read -

    "including one that allows soldiers to track colleague's locations on the battlefield" and "isn't always a viable option in the middle of combat". So I'm actually wondering what they're going to be doing with them. It'd be rather sensless to take smartphones with you to get mud, sand, shrapnel and whatever on them. And when are you supposed to use them? "Yeah I'm pinned down. Let me take a picture of the guy shooting at us, maybe we'll see him again later"

      If its just for stuff like wanting to find out whether your friend's in the mess hall or taking a nap or whatever would be fine. But then why do the batteries matter?

  8. Re:Sexting in the fox hole? by Haedrian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't you just hate it when you're driving down the street, guy is driving a heavy tank while talking to his girlfriend?

  9. Joke right? by Ilgaz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I gotta get back to ya later Mom - I'm kinda engaged right now.

    What if I told you me and 10+ other guys saw 'AFK: Real War' from an actual soldier in Afghanistan playing a war simulation at that time?

    (not naming any names including game)

    1. Re:Joke right? by shiftless · · Score: 4, Insightful

      In Afghanistan? Yeah, they pretty much are. But even if they weren't, what's to stop the US Army from running their own mobile cell networks? You could easily integrate a cell transponder into a Humvee or MRAP, and/or established fixed stations at FOBs, and all of the data could be routed through existing SATCOM equipment to SIPRNET.

      This is a really good idea, but I foresee this program is gonna be something that requires custom hardware development. Off the shelf smart phones aren't gonna cut it. For one, how are you gonna see the screen at night, without it lighting up your position to the enemy just as good as if you'd shined a flashlight in your face? It would need to work in very dark (tactical) conditions, be usable by soldiers wearing gloves, be durable enough to withstand combat, etc.

      Can you imagine a device like this on every soldier's wrist that instantly shows him the location of allies and fellow soldiers, suspected enemies, etc, plotted out on an overhead map with actual satellite photos of terrain, and real time GPS positioning? Like FalconView (and already existing system used on PCs) it could show the positions of minefields, previously reported encounters with enemy forces, all kinds of details. How about if it could plot a route for a soldier from point A to point B, with the best use of cover, using all the information currently available, say if he is unfamiliar with the terrain and the squad leader just got shot? For those with a security clearance (squad leader, radio man, etc), it could be integrated with the existing IRC networks on SIPRNET to let him view real time text chatter about the tactical situation. I mean there is a billion ways this technology could be used to great benefit on today's and tomorrow's battlefield.

    2. Re:Joke right? by master_p · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You are right. Fighting goat herders with outdated rifles has never been so challenging.

    3. Re:Joke right? by DarkOx · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I know you were being sarcastic but it probably has never been so challenging. Going all the way back to our own revolution a bunch of farmers with out data rifles managed to defeat British regular army, although with some French assistance. Its also true at the time there was less separation between a hunting rifle and an army rifle in terms of tech.

      Here we are in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting farmers with outdated rifles and help from Iran, Syria, and likely Pakistan. They have the benefit of history to know what works and what does not against a superior force and lots of them have experience fighting the Russian army. Their tech might be a little outdated but its also true a 35 year old Russian AK is still plenty lethal, as are left over Rocket propelled grenades and launchers we gave them. There are probably a fare number of single shot WWI and WWII era rifles we gave them to fight the Russians still floating about as well.

      So yes it really has never been harder and asymmetric warfare has not really been easy for two centuries; with the possible exception of the Mexican War.

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
  10. Re:This doesn't sound like a good idea by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I know, but parse out what the army is actually considering, vs. what some company is pushing at them. Here's more of the quote you provided: "The company that developed the Patriot missile system has created several dedicated military apps for both systems, including one that allows soldiers to track colleague's locations on the battlefield."

    Defense contractors everwhere are spinning off imaginative "apps" on how these things might be used. I still think the Army's actual implementation (if any) will be much, much less ambitious.

  11. more proof defense spending is out of control by Dan667 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    conservatives should be all over cutting frivolous defense spending like this.

  12. This is my iPhone. by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 4, Funny

    There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My iPhone is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my iPhone is useless. Without my iPhone, I am useless. I must text my iPhone true. I must text faster than my mother, who is trying to block me. I must text my friends before she grounds me. I will. Before God I swear this creed: my iPhone and myself are defenders of my social life, we are the masters of our parents, we are the saviors of my social life. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen.

    I didn't intend that to be that creepy when I started it, but I think that describes 90% of high school and college students I've interacted with.