usarmy
Latest
Android Army: US soldiers to leverage portable battlefield network and smartphones
Smartphones: the future of wartime communication? That is the goal of the US Army through the development of its portable wireless network, dubbed Warfighter Information Network-Tactical or WIN-T. The Army hopes to leverage WIN-T to bring near-instant digital communication to the battlefield by outfitting soldiers with Motorola Atrix handsets running a heavily modified version of Android. An exposé by Wired explains that the system's main goal is information and intelligence sharing; between both soldiers and central command. Friendly troop positions, suspicious vehicles or persons and surveillance video from unmanned areal vehicles (UAVs) can all be mapped and shared with servicemen and women in the field. It's been a dream of the Pentagon since the mid-nineties, but has only recently become monetarily and technologically feasible due to advances in smartphone processing power. It's nerdy, it's fascinating... and this is the stuff the Army is willing to talk about. Hit the source link for the full write-up.
US Army breaking up with A160 Hummingbird drone-copter, says it's too high maintenance
It's not me, it's you. The US Army's dalliance with Boeing's A160 Hummingbird drone got one step closer to Splitsville after the military branch issued a stop-work order for the project. Initially scheduled to see action in Afghanistan starting this July, the chopper-drone turned plenty of heads thanks to a DARPA-developed Argus-IS imaging system with a 1.8-gigapixel camera capable of spying on ground targets from 20,000 feet. The honeymoon period between the Army and the A160 is apparently over, however, thanks to a host of issues. These included wiring problems as well as excessive vibration that caused an A160 to crash earlier this year due to a transmission mount failure. The problems not only increased risk and caused delays, but also led program costs to helicopter out of control -- a big no-no given Uncle Sam's recent belt-tightening. In the meantime, the Army is reportedly checking out the K-MAX, though it's important to note that this unmanned chopper specializes in cargo and doesn't have the A160's eyes.
Military hunting smartphone safety to hold off enemy bugs, spooks
Ah, smartphones -- the delightful little slates carry our contacts, our content -- even our cash, and they still fit right in our pockets. No surprise then, that a lost or stolen phone can be a minor disaster -- or a major security risk (just ask the President). Now that soldiers are packing them to send GPS coordinates or situational images in the field -- on top of using them at home -- DARPA has enlisted security company Invincea to fortify the devices. Its first effort, encrypting OS files and filling the memory of a lost phone with worthless data, has already been deployed to 3,000 troops in Afghanistan. Its next target is to cloister apps into virtual rooms within the OS, locking off access to sensitive parts of the phone like its GPS or contact lists. That would keep any nasty bits of malware from potentially gaining root privileges so soldiers can fight, and Facebook, without compromise.
Army scientists juice battery voltage, hike life up to 30 percent
With the modern US soldier turning into a walking gadget, the army has some heavy reasons to lower battery weights. Its own scientists might have the answer, claiming 30 percent energy density jumps could happen using additives they developed. Those "sacrificial agent" materials would bond with electrodes to allow five volts instead of the four they've been stuck on, permitting a "quantum leap" in efficiency and weight. We'll have to see if that'll come to pass, but given the sheer volume of tech that soldiers are strapping on these days, it couldn't be too soon. To see a video of how it works, zap past the break.
Army spy blimp to launch within weeks: 300 feet long, $500 million, 'multi-intelligent'
It can't go faster than 34MPH and it's already a year late for its planned deployment in Afghanistan, but Northrop Grumman's Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) is now set for its maiden flight. The test run is scheduled for sometime between June 6th and 10th over Lakehurst, New Jersey, whose residents ought to be forewarned that it is not a solar eclipse or a Death Star, but simply a helium-filled pilotless reconnaissance and communications airship that happens to be the size of a football field. After floating around for a while, the giant dirigible is expected to journey south to Florida, where it'll be fitted to a custom-built gondola that will carry the bulk of its equipment, and by which time her enemies hopefully won't have come into possession of an air force.
Nanotubes sniff out rotting fruit, your dorm room might be next
Our favorite ultra-skinny molecules have performed a lot of useful functions over the years, but keeping fruit flies away was never one of them. Now MIT scientists, with US Army funding, have discovered a way to give these nanotubes the canine-like sense of smell needed to stop produce spoilage and waste. Doping sheets of them with copper and polystyrene introduces a speed-trap for electrons, slowing them and allowing the detection of ethylene gas vented during ripening. A sensor produced from such a substance could be combined with an RFID chip, giving grocers a cheaper way to monitor freshness and discount produce before it's too late. If that works, the team may target mold and bacteria detection next, giving you scientific proof that your roommate needs to wash his socks.
New research brings better wireless to remote locations, 80 percent faster GoT downloads
Not getting the bandwidth you need, Heidi? Then maybe the folks at North Carolina State University can help. They've figured out a way to boost multi-hop networks, where data is forwarded across two or more nodes (hops) in order to reach far-flung users. Networks like this can often get bogged down by interference between neighboring nodes. But by using algorithms to automatically modulate the power of each link, the NC State scientists have managed to jump efficiency by up to 80 percent. This has the effect of not only increasing speed, but also saving juice if the systems are battery powered -- like those used by the US Army, which sponsored the research. After all, just because you're away from the throne doesn't mean you have to be out of the game.
US Army grants HP $249 million contract to deploy private cloud services
HP is in the Army now. Today, the Palo Alto company announced that it has received a $249 million contract to provide the Department of Defense and other federal agencies with enterprise level cloud computing services. The new initiative will allow the military to consolidate its existing data centers, and the services will be deployed to a number of commercial and government-owned buildings. HP will also provide the military with Performance-Optimized Data Centers (PODs) for quick deployment into tactical situations. Under the terms of the Army Private Cloud contract, HP will work with ten small businesses and Alabama A&M University to help actualize the private cloud and its requirements. We can only assume that Meg Whitman is glad to start out the month with a bit of walking-around money. You'll find the full PR after the break.
US Army debuts app marketplace prototype: iOS first, Android coming soon
The promise of an Army app store has been bandied about for quite a while now, but it looks like it's slowly becoming a reality. The US Army has today officially announced a prototype of the Army Software Marketplace, a web-based app store that currently includes twelve different training apps that have been approved for Army-wide use. That includes just iOS apps initially, but the Army promises that it will soon include apps for Android devices as well. It's also of course looking to expand considerably beyond those dozen odd apps, noting that the prototype is just "a first step in establishing and exercising new submission and approval processes that will eventually enable Army members, organizations and third-party developers to release applications for Army-wide distribution." And you thought the approval process for some of the current app stores was stringent. [Thanks, Souheil]
CTA Digital unleashes official US Army gaming peripherals, gets your adrenaline pumping
Although this time it isn't the inflatable Wii accessory you fell deeply in love with, CTA Digital's bringing you something a bit more on the rugged and wild side -- à la Rambo. In a partnership with the US Army, the company's unveiling a flood of official gaming accessories to make you feel like you're part of our nation's bravest. The arsenal of peripherals -- which cover PC and console gamers -- will include a US Army Elite Force Assault Rifle, Sniper Action Rifle, Commando Assault Rifle and a Universal Gaming Headset for all your smack talking, just to mention a few. There's no word on how much damage the shooters and co. will do, and retailer availability will be coming "soon." Full game compatibility and other deets can be found in the PR below.
IED attack simulator prepares US soldiers prior to Afghan deployment
A new simulation exercise is now in place for US troops at the Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center near Edinburgh, Indiana. Built primarily from off-the-shelf components, the system is designed to better prepare soldiers for the physical and psychological challenges of IED attacks, which are currently the number one threat to military personnel stationed in Afghanistan. Situated inside a mounted vehicle and positioned in front of a large screen, service members are exposed to jarring explosions, smoke, noise and poor visibility -- all common occurrences of IED assaults. The system records the entire nightmarish scenario, which allows participants to review their performance and learn from their mistakes. For soldiers who've never been to Afghanistan, the simulator will also be used to familiarize troops with the war zone terrain and other situations they may encounter along the way. Just how realistic is the IED simulation? According to Spc. Darren J. Ganier-Slotterbeck, "I deployed in 2005, 2007 and 2008 with the Marines. I've been blown up multiple times, and it definitely brought back memories. I was a little shaky when I got out of that thing. I'm not going to lie." He went on to say, "If we'd had the ability to go through training like this at the time, those deployments would have been a lot different." Sounds scary. We're not going to lie.
US Army's A160 Hummingbird drone-copter to don 1.8 gigapixel camera
Starting in July of 2012, the United States Army will deploy three Boeing A160 Hummingbird drones to Afghanistan as part of a one-year trial program. Unlike the Predator drones already in combat, the A160 is a rotor-based aircraft capable of vertical take-offs and landings. What's more, the craft will be affixed with the DARPA-developed ARGUS-IS imaging system -- which boasts a 1.8 gigapixel camera the Army says can "track people and vehicles from altitudes above 20,000 feet." The A160 Hummingbird platform will provide the Army with the ability and flexibility to: take off and land without a runway; fly for twelve hours or more without refueling; and monitor up to 65 enemies of the State simultaneously. Test flights of the unmanned chopper are scheduled for early 2012 in Arizona, but residents hoping to get a glimpse of the A160 in action best have great eyesight -- the ARGUS-IS system can see targets from almost 25 miles down range. Oh, and don't forget to smile when you look up. You want to look your best for the eye in the sky, right?
DARPA tests advanced hypersonic weapon prototype, makes railgun sweat
The US Army completed testing of its hypersonic weapon yesterday, launching a test projectile across the Pacific Ocean. The glider flies at a lower trajectory than typical missiles, traveling at several times the speed of sound, making it capable of hitting anywhere on this peaceful ball of blue and green within an hour. We saw DARPA's hypersonic aircraft's successful launch earlier this year -- the Falcon HTV-2 (pictured above) managed to hit the dizzying speed of Mach 20 during its tests, before it crashed. Despite recent military funding issues in the US government, hopefully all things hypersonic will get to fly again soon.
U.S. Army urges vets to get outta their dreams and into the virtual world
You've heard of power walking, but "power dreaming?" That practice's usually the stuff of Buddhism, and now, could go a long way towards mending the psychic wounds of our nation's bravest. With about 52% of PTSD-affected veterans reported as having disturbing nightmares, the U.S. Army's working towards a virtual solution that'd marry the design of Second Life with laptop-displayed or 3D head-mounted, physio-emotional healing. The project, a form of biofeedback therapy which would create custom, stress-alleviating imagery for traumatized vets, is currently in the planning stage with Washington State's Naval Hospital serving as its experimental base. Over half a million in funding's already been put towards the effort which is expected to launch in full next year. And when it does, we're hoping the tech resembles a certain Strange Days SQUID recorder -- with happy thoughts, o'course.
Giant tablet lets commanders control war with the swipe of a finger
America's armed forces have added some major tech to their arsenal lately, from smartphones for soldiers to giant surveillance blimps. And now, AAI has unveiled a new tool for battlefield commanders in the form of giant touchscreen tablet. Its screen is three feet by two feet and employs surveillance information to give those in charge an overhead view of a war zone that shows the position of both good guys and bad. Icons represent troops, air support, and spy drones, which are then deployed by tapping and dragging them on the touchscreen. Such input doesn't actually control battlefield assets, but it does send orders to the appropriate personnel so they can be executed, and soldiers confirm receipt of the order via instant message. The company's still trying to sell the system to the Army, but we'd imagine that such drag and drop warfare will appeal to Uncle Sam. Who knows, perhaps all those hours spent honing your Starcraft skills can soon be put to good use defending the country. [Image credit: Spencer Ackerman]
ITT unveils GhostRider encryption device capable of securing US Army smartphones
That may look like a Motorola Atrix Dell Venue, but it's actually something known as the GhostRider -- a new encryption device that could go a long way toward securing the Army's smartphones. Developed by defense company ITT, this revamped handset would allow military personnel to transmit secure text messages and phone calls over the Army's network, even if they're out on the battlefield. All they'd have to do is place their personal phones next to the GhostRider, tap and hold its touchscreen to activate the security features and begin texting away. When another GhostRider user receives an SMS, he or she would have to enter a pass code before reading it. The phone's security mechanisms, meanwhile, have been certified by the cryptographers at the NSA, which would certainly help justify its $1,500 price tag. The handset's display, meanwhile, looks awfully similar to the Army's Nett Warrior platform -- an Android-based OS that features a host of mapping functions designed explicitly for war zones. Officials unveiled the latest incarnation of Nett Warrior at the recent Association of the US Army gala in DC, though the platform's creators are still looking for the appropriate commercial device to host it -- unless, of course, GhostRider's software replaces it altogether. "We think Nett Warrior should be something like this," ITT vice president Richard Takahashi told Wired. "This can be the smart device." March past the break for more information, in ITT's jargon-laced PR. Update: Thanks to readers who spotted it's a Venue rather than an Atrix. Our eyes must have been temporarily scrambled by the enemy. Just to be clear -- it's not the handset that's different, only the peripheral.
Raytheon shows off TransTalk speech translator for Android, hopes to find a home in the Army's app store
We've already heard about some of the smartphone apps that may or may not eventually find their way into the Army's own app store, and Raytheon is now hoping that it'll be tapped it to provide a key one. As Wired's Danger Room reports, the company has developed a new version of its TransTalk app for Android phones, which is able to translate speech from English to Arabic, Dari and Pashto (and vice versa). Since it's designed specifically for the Army, the app is geared towards translating phrases commonly used by soldiers on patrol, and it's also able to display and store the conversation as text. Just don't count on it hitting the Android Market anytime soon -- while the app runs on off-the-shelf Android hardware (a Motorola Atrix, in this case), there's no plans for it to be made available to the general public.
K-MAX unmanned chopper delivers Air Force salute to Afghan danger (video)
It's a year since Lockheed Martin won the contract to provide an unmanned cargo delivery system to the US military and now its first K-MAX helicopter is just about ready for duty. The 6,000-pound RC chopper is scheduled to journey to the manifold fronts of Afghanistan next month, where it'll get busy ferrying its own bodyweight in ammo and supplies to needy anthills up to 200km away. And, if things get too sticky for laptop flying, there's always room for a brave soul to jump in there and grab the controls. You'll find a fresh demo video after the break, plus we've also stuck in that fancy clip from last year to rotor your memory.
Lockheed Martin's SMSS autonomous vehicle wins Army competition, ships off to Afghanistan (video)
The US military's fleet of unmanned vehicles may soon get some extra support, now that Lockheed Martin's Squad Mission Support System (SMSS) has received the Army's official blessing. Designed to support infantry squads or special ops forces, the company's autonomous craft was recently crowned the winner of the Army-sponsored Project Workhorse Unmanned Ground Vehicle competition, after more than a decade of development. Measuring 11 feet in length, the SMSS is capable of transporting more than 1,000 pounds of equipment over rugged terrain, and features a set of onboard sensors that can automatically track individuals by recognizing their 3D profiles. Both the SMSS and its Block I variant can be carried aboard CH-47 and CH-53 choppers, with the latter offering a driving range of 125 miles. Three of the beasts will deploy to Afghanistan for a three-month evaluation later this year, when they'll become the largest unmanned vehicles to ever deploy with infantry. Shoot past the break for a video tour of the SMSS, along with the full press release.
Cam-wielding RC car used to investigate roadside bomb, saves lives in Afghanistan
The US military spends billions of dollars each year beefing up wartime tech, but a low-budget hacked RC car recently served as an unlikely hero, saving six soliders' lives in Afghanistan. The home-built rig, which included a wireless security camera mounted on a Traxxas Stampede remote-controlled truck, cost about $500 when it was built in 2007. Since then, Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Fessenden has used it to locate roadside bombs, until it tripped a detonation sensor during a patrol last month, in turn saving Fessenden and fellow troops from coming head-to-head with 500 pounds of explosives. Unfortunately the RC cam didn't survive the attack, so Ernie, the solider's brother who built the first model, is currently working on a replacement. Sure, a half-grand may seem like a laughable sum compared to the Pentagon's annual budget, but if the proven gadget gets enough attention, perhaps Chinese-made toys will play a role in entertaining our kids, and protecting our troops.
