The experiences of soldiers in hot spots around the globe have made it very clear: better communication on the battlefield and in urban environments is a requirement. It can save lives. Yet the usual military radio allowing one soldier to talk to his buddy does not describe battlefield communication today.
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Networking in Real Time Further Enables:
C2 Applications
• TIGR
• CPOF
System API's
• JBC-P
Advanced Applications
• Sniper Detection
• Video Compression
• SIGINT
• Combat ID |
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The Army's top priority is to build out a secure network that extends communication down to individual troops. With radios that can actually "network," text messages, maps and video common in the civilian world can be passed from soldier to soldier, to leaders and to the top of the military chain of command. In this way, everyone involved can see, know and respond.
So why not equip soldiers with smartphones? This is doable as long as the devices are rugged enough to withstand the battlefield environment and there is the infrastructure needed to move information around the battlefield, in operations centers, in vehicles and accessible by dismounted troops. Unfortunately, commercial smartphones are not designed to withstand rugged use, and the cellular infrastructure is not in place in most areas where tactical communications are needed.
The best option is a radio embedded with a little piece of spectrum and a little bit of coding which, when networked together with other radios possessing the same core technology, comprise enough capability to perform the work of an entire cell tower. If your radio can do that and still fit in your pocket, pack or vehicle mounting, you have something to deploy with.
Click to view a large diagram of “A Networked Battlefield."
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