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Smartphones: The Future of Combat?(Benzinga Lightning Feed Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Taking a cue from the current generation's proficiency in technology, The United States Army is continuing to develop on-the-ground smartphone use, and could see a 'limited deployment' later this year. The Army is using smartphones to text message (SMS) updates to superiors, send pictures with an attached GPS location, navigate, and complete reports. "When they have a problem or need to submit a report, they default to the texting," said Michael McCarthy, an Army director for the program. "These young soldiers grew up with this technology. They're very familiar with it. They're very comfortable with it." The Army is wrapping up a six-week trial of smartphones created by Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android, and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows. In particular, the "iPhone and Android have been very well received." The move by the U.S. government is notable for its unique implementation of a popular consumer product. While the Army employs state-of-the-art technology in tools like satellites and surveillance drones, soldiers are more likely to carry radios or a simple cell phone to communicate. Efforts to bring the smartphone to the battlefield could surely benefit soldiers and medics in a variety of ways. Medical information can be held on the smartphone, tactical information could be disseminated with the device, and sensitive information encrypted around the world. The expansion of anti-terrorist operations in the United States has certainly benefited a number of technology firms in the last decade, and smartphone manufacturers are likely trying to break in on the action. Could this be the future of combat? In many ways, the emergence of smartphones for tactical use could be a huge benefit for service professionals. New advantages over the enemy are always being sought, and it makes sense to implement a strong technology. With that said, the government must be very careful in how it executes its smartphone strategy. High priority must be paid to information security and the possibility of hacking. If security measures are properly constructed and followed, then smartphone use could increasingly play a crucial role in the battle against our enemies. If a large contract can be secured with the government, the winning manufacturer would surely receive a material boost from its new customer. nop (c) 2011 Benzinga.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published in its entirety or redistributed without the approval of Benzinga. |