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Regular Joe
 
Group: Registered User
Last Login: 10/1/2008 10:23 AM
Posts: 448,
Visits: 1,416
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khyros (11/21/2006)
Considering that my lil pda phone (an hp ipaq 6515) provides voice coms, GPS, has a 333mhz processor, 32 mb of ram, and over 120 mb of flash memory storage... all in a unit small enough to fit in my back pocket with ease and eight hours of juice in a rechargable battery... the landwarrior has a loooong way to go and is still a rather primitive design.
I can think of three reasons why land warrior is way behind comparitively.
First, you have to make the thing rugged enough to take a beating. Joe has to run from pt A to pt B without worrying about accidentally smacking his equipment too hard. The design team therefore has to make it infantry-proof, no small task considering the environments where our guys operate. You have the sands of the desert with 130 degrees plus, to rain and cold, etc.
Second, Joe needs the information in question in a hurry and won't have time to fiddle with a bunch of menus like I do when I try to get my brother's contact information. He's likely going to have a few channels on 'speed dial' and some other pertinent stuff (maps and gps) on another button. But unless he's doing some surveillance and has time to think, he's got enough on his mind worrying about what's on the side of the road or what that guy around the corner was really holding.
Lastly, security of information is paramount. I'm not positive on how secure smart phones are, but I'm sure that with the right equipment, one could intercept phone calls. Our civilian phones aren't as concerned with security because (I doubt) that no one is that interested in what I tell my brother about what I watched on the tube. In contrast, anything those guys are saying is vital. Wireless internet is still pretty shoddy as far as information security. So a big part of the budget has to be going to secure comms. And that isn't simple or cheap.
I lack people-skills.
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Ei Temporis Vita Semper Resumo Sese
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 11:35 PM
Posts: 8,449,
Visits: 7,539
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Of course the system has to be abuse and weather proof but my point was that the technology exists to reduce LW components even more in size and weight. Far as secure coms go... I am very much against having every joe equipped with a transmitter. Why? Because they will use them constantly and regardless of encryption, they will still provide a nice signal to triangulate and drop indirect on. We need to look past the current conflict against a relatively low tech opponent and consider what effect the proliferation of gee-whiz gear will have during the next war which could be against virtually anyone.
"The degenerative and loony should never be denigrated but, rather, thanked. In their absence, the rest of you would be obliged to fill congressional seats... positions naturally unsavory to the sane and honorable." Thorax
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Regular Joe
Group: Community Supporter
Last Login: 4/28/2008 5:18 PM
Posts: 104,
Visits: 212
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some of you might be interested to know that the M-79 is still in use, nice to have available.
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