Equipping the Mobilized, Modern Day Warfighter
Ready, lethal, and adaptable, today’s warfighters rely on technology to help them successfully complete their mission-critical tasks.
The modern-day battlefield doesn’t stay in one place for long. In fact, it’s a dynamic setting that requires a fluid, flexible approach supported by mobile technology. “The armed forces need to be more dynamic and mobile,” according to FedTech, “and [they] need technology to keep pace with the speed of their operations.”
That means incorporating high-tech solutions that are not only easy to configure and deploy, but that also enhance productivity and allow warfighters to work smarter, faster and safer out in the field.
Mobility: Both Efficient and Adaptable
The military’s efforts to equip modern-day warfighters with mission-critical technology include initiatives that would have been impossible just 10 years ago. In August, for example, the U.S. Army started exploring the viability of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cargo aircraft that can transport 600 pounds of military supplies (e.g., ammunition, water, and food) to forward-deployed warfighters engaged on the battlefield.
As ruggedized computer devices have advanced, their use on the battlefield has also proliferated. As one of the early adopters of this technology, the military is using wireless handheld computers to take inventory of supplies and equipment, record inspection and maintenance data, manage shipments, and support other military operations, ConnectorSupplier reports, with many of these activities taking place in remote locations that require specialized, ruggedized mobile computing devices.
In need of highly reliable technology that supports good decision-making out on the battlefield — but adds as little weight as possible to the 100+ pounds of gear that they already have to carry — warfighters need flexible mobile technology that enables agility while allowing them to move quickly and safely.
“One thing our military customers are asking from us is options,” Panasonic’s Bob Murphy stated. “The days of one-size-fits-all mobile computers are over. Today, service members need to have the flexibility to select the ideal tool for the job, not make what they have meet their needs.”
A member of the military who is doing flight line maintenance, for instance, may need a lightweight, handheld mobile computer with sunlight readability. Someone else may want a laptop that has a larger screen and a full keyboard. Regardless of the use case, both require rugged durability, high performance, and long battery life.
Mobility in Action
Intent on leveraging mobile technology and establishing a secure paperless environment both in its physical facilities and out in the field, the Navy needs mission-built rugged mobile technology. Consumer devices with add-on rugged cases are not truly rugged, and aren’t engineered and designed from the ground up for field and long-term survivability.
For example, when Navy aircraft land on the tarmac for maintenance, mechanics grab their Panasonic Toughbook laptops and get to work. Completely digitized, the maintenance manuals and aircraft maintenance data are now just a few screens or keyboard taps away. And technicians can leave their gloves on during use (no need to remove them to “thumb” through a manual), thus enhancing productivity and the safety factor.
Navy ship mechanics use a similar approach when maintaining seagoing vessels and underwater vessels, both of which rely on the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES), a computer-accessed program that consolidates and modernizes shipboard, submarine, and shore-based command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) network systems to increase fleet-wide capability and affordability.
Much More to Come
A top priority across many marine and other armed forces divisions, mobility will continue to play a critical role on the modern-day battlefield, where warfighters need anytime-anywhere-mission-ready device capabilities across a wide range of operations and job functionalities. And as it continues to expand its use of mobility on the frontlines, the department of defense (DoD) will be searching for highly reliable and secure, longer battery operation and better connectivity to help drive improved mission outcomes, all supported by advanced hardware, software, and connectivity.
Find out more about the Panasonic mobile solutions today’s warfighters rely on to help them successfully complete their mission-critical tasks. Stop by our booth #3222 at Modern Day Marine from September 25-27, 2018 to chat with our team.
