Six Military Missions Where Rugged Mobile Devices Matter

Rugged mobile devices from Panasonic can help improve everything from logistical operations to tactical communications for the U.S Military. Panasonic handhelds, tablets, and notebooks are designed and purpose-built for mission-critical work and extreme, rugged environments and non-stop, heavy use mobile devices by our military.

Here are six military applications in which rugged mobile devices and solutions matter:

Supply Chain and Logistical Operations

When moving cargo and personnel in the face of challenging terrain and hostile combatants, you need purpose-built, military-grade technology capable of providing real-time visibility into supply inventories, equipment, and troops. And the complexity of military logistics demands the ability to access, capture, and share data and real-time updates between supply or maintenance systems and depots with field supply chain operations serving troops on the ground.

Panasonic designed the TOUGHBOOK N1 rugged handheld to help improve the efficiency and productivity of supply chains and logistics operations. Specifically, the TOUGHBOOK N1 features a powerful quad-core processor for fast data processing; an angled, rear-facing barcode reader for fast scanning; and an optional 19-hour long, user-replaceable battery.

For military supply chains and logistics operations, the cost of downtime and technology failure can be a matter of life and death. Downtime due to a dead battery or other device failures is not an option. That’s why Panasonic rugged mobile devices are built to meet and exceed military standard MIL-STD-810G specs, and tested to the MIL-STD specs and beyond for durability, endurance, and strength.

Flight-line Maintenance

One of the biggest pain points when it comes to military flight-line maintenance is legacy paper manuals. Mechanics have historically had to wrestle with searching and reviewing paper manuals to find specifications and instructions in order to keep aircraft maintained.

Today, at several military installations the deployment and use of TOUGHBOOK rugged mobile laptops and tablets facilitate a paperless maintenance environment, from the hangar to the tarmac. Panasonic mobile devices give maintenance technicians fast, easy access to digitized manuals and aircraft systems data.

Instead of searching through cumbersome binders, mechanics can find what they need by searching and quickly scrolling through a few screens or with a couple of keyboard taps. The speed of processing and the ease of use of a TOUGHBOOK enhances technician productivity. With their sunlight-readable and glove use touchscreens, TOUGHBOOK tablets and laptops are being used in maintenance operations around the world – on land and at sea in some of the harshest environments.

The TOUGHPAD G1 Windows tablet, for example, is particularly well-suited for flight-line maintenance. Designed for highly mobile workers, it’s the thinnest and lightest fully rugged 10.1″ tablet running Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit. The tablet can also be configured with an integrated thermal camera or Infrared camera option. Thermal imaging enables technicians to record, process, and document temperature measurements using their tablet. This can help identify faulty parts prior to failure.  An optional model is certified for use in Hazardous Locations (Class I Division 2).

Command and Control

Today’s military operations require mobile technology that is versatile enough to be used to control multiple types of complex systems or vehicles, from engine monitoring to managing in-flight systems. Command and control of Avionics Management Systems (AMS), for example, requires computing technology capable of managing communications, navigation, and mission subsystems.

The PANASONIC G1 or M1 tablet has high computing performance and wireless connectivity in a compact form-factor to enable the deployment of portable command-and-control posts that provide real-time access to mission-critical AMS data.

When a compact, rugged Android-OS mobile device is required, the TOUGHBOOK N1 gives warriors a long-lasting, reliable mission-critical communications tool. Because it is built to resist damage from severe vibrations and seven-foot drops, as well as keep working even after being immersed in a downpour, it works reliably under unrelenting battlefield and weather conditions.

Panasonic mobile devices are a proven command and control solution component for military Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) ground stations, flight control terminals, and autonomous vehicle controllers. Rugged mobile devices from Panasonic can be configured with additional security features including optional touch fingerprint reader, optional insertable SmartCard CAC readers, or optional contactless SmartCard CAC reader, making them a preferred option for federal government mobile workers.

Situational Awareness

One of the biggest threats to a soldier’s life and limb is injury from unidentified threats. Mobile military computers, such as the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK N1, can access and receive information that helps to improve personnel safety to increase situational awareness.

Mobile solutions — such as Panasonic’s unit cameras, body cameras, and evidence-capturing cameras connected to TOUGHBOOK handhelds — can help capture a wealth of information about the surrounding environment and identify potential threats. These state-of-the-art handheld devices help provide situational data in the most challenging and dangerous operational environments. Panasonic TOUGHBOOK handhelds are designed to withstand the rigors of military operations and are specifically engineered to continue to perform in harsh outdoor environments that include dust, grime, vibrations, high altitudes, extreme temperatures, and accidental drops.

The TOUGHBOOK N1 also runs the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK), a premier platform for situational awareness and team coordination. Users require a host of capabilities in a portable, rugged, high performing mobile device. ATAK running on a TOUGHBOOK provides military users with the ability to take and send photos, display maps, use GPS for geofencing, and to access and share data for mission planning collaboration.

Mission Planning

Lack of hardware integration has historically made it difficult to connect and update mission plans between the briefing room and the battlefield. The Panasonic TOUGHBOOK 55 notebook, delivers mobile technology with the integration capabilities and support required for even the most complex missions.

The TOUGHBOOK 55 is verified to the latest MIL-STD-810H requirements. It is a semi-rugged 14” device that is ideal for mission planning and command and control operations. Its Galileo satellite navigation system and unparalleled display brightness offer users pinpoint positioning accuracy and screen viewability.

Panasonic notebooks are a proven solution for mission planning and are used extensively by flight crews, special forces, and troops on the ground. The Panasonic TOUGHBOOK family of mobile devices can be used for a wide range of mission requirements.

The TOUGHBOOK 55 combines reliability with adaptability. It enables users to view high-def maps and images in the field, maintain connectivity during operations, and supports data security with removable solid-state drives (SSD). An optional bombproof enclosure is available for combat operations.

Tactical Communications

Communication hardware that cannot stand the rigors of the battlefield puts soldiers at risk. Military personnel need tools and equipment that survive the battlefield and keep them connected and in control. That’s where TOUGHBOOK mobile device connectivity technology excels. A dedicated team of wireless engineers at Panasonic custom selects and tests the antenna modules, and then tests the placement of the antenna module in the device to make sure the connectivity performance meets or exceeds the leading carriers’ wireless network requirements.

In combat situations, Panasonic technology facilitates uninterrupted communications that are vital for relaying surveillance and mission orders. Panasonic and its partners provide full mobile tactical communications solutions, including rugged mobile devices, specialized software and middleware, and some of the most effective custom wireless solutions available.

When it comes to rugged devices, Panasonic’s TOUGHBOOK solutions deliver the performance, security, and reliability that front line troops rely on to survive in harsh, and often hostile, environments. TOUGHBOOK mobile devices go beyond the standard safety testing to achieve Hazardous Locations Class 1 Div 2, certification of select devices, TPM 2.0 and are TAA-compliant, approved for government deployment.

Learn more about the TOUGHBOOK family of mobile devices to see how no matter the challenge, Panasonic devices ensure you have the technology you need on the battlefield to support your missions.