U.S. Army Looks To Android For Mobile Apps
Android on the battlefield? It's not as crazy as you might think. The U.S. Army is always looking for new and crazy ways to gain and edge, and they aren't shy when it comes to looking toward technology for those answers. According to a new report, they're now finalizing a software framework for Android-based devices that will let third-party software devs create "interoperable mobile apps for combat soldiers." Currently, it's being tested by the the 82nd Airborne Division on a prototype device, dubbed the Joint Battle Command-Platform, or JBC-P Handheld.
The software platform is called CE for short, and it "guides application developers so the resulting code is secure, and will mesh with apps for other tactical systems, such as air support, logistics and armor." If all goes well, a dev kit will be made available to the public in July 2011. The Army is also refining a suite of apps called Mission Command Apps, which include mapping, groud reporting, and critical messaging.
We aren't about to guess which mobile OS the Army "prefers," but given just how easy it is to sideload and hack Android, we aren't shocked to hear the news.
The software platform is called CE for short, and it "guides application developers so the resulting code is secure, and will mesh with apps for other tactical systems, such as air support, logistics and armor." If all goes well, a dev kit will be made available to the public in July 2011. The Army is also refining a suite of apps called Mission Command Apps, which include mapping, groud reporting, and critical messaging.
We aren't about to guess which mobile OS the Army "prefers," but given just how easy it is to sideload and hack Android, we aren't shocked to hear the news.
