The DARPA Wants Apps for Waging War
A branch of the Department of Defense is looking to develop military-based apps and a supporting 3G network.
An arm of the United States Department of Defense-- the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-- recently announced a Request for Information (RFI) seeking info on apps for the Google Android platform that could be used in warfare. Called Transformative Apps, the proposed program also called for a military apps marketplace that would host the "diverse array of apps of national security relevance."
According to the request, the DARPA is looking for applications to be used in various scenarios: the tactical battlefield, humanitarian missions, disaster recovery, and other mission areas. There was no mention of a possible remote "nuke" button.
"Example functionalities include command and control, reporting, mission planning, intelligence/ surveillance/ reconnaissance, real-time collaboration, geospatial visualization, analysis, language translation, training, and logistics tracking," the request reads. "Special attention must be paid to the apps' user interfaces and usability functions, as well as striving towards general simplicity and ease-of-use."
The military group is also looking to establish its own 3G network, calling for an "affordable, robust, and secure mobile tactical network capability compatible with commercial smartphones." This does make sense: relying on local cell towers in a foreign country could be sketchy at best, especially if the enemy has patched in to eavesdrop on any military-based communication.
Surprisingly, the group did not include Apple's iPhone and Windows Mobile in the proposal. To learn more about what the government is seeking, check out the RFI here.
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How about porting fart apps from iPhone? Oh, chemical weapons are illegal...
The group didn't include the iPhone in the proposal because the military probably doesn't want to deal with closed system, proprietary BS with an egotistical dictator at the helm.
I am hoping I get these military contracts.
Everytime i hear anything about darpa, I instantly think metal gear solid.
Just basic real-time mapping info would be good. A soldier could update a shared map database with info like "insurgent cowpath #4097" and "mythical WMD repository #769". It would also allow for real-time statistical analysis like total cost of each operation versus oil prices.
The group didn't include the iPhone in the proposal because the military probably doesn't want to deal with closed system, proprietary BS with an egotistical dictator at the helm.
The U.S. military is very good at dealing with "an egotistical dictator at the helm."
Everytime i hear anything about darpa, I instantly think metal gear solid.
I thought the same thing from MGS1. I entered this link thinking about MGS and found other news. Im still wondering about that "nuke" button they didnt want to mention.
The U.S. military is very good at dealing with "an egotistical dictator at the helm."
That's the US Department of State. The Department of Defense doesn't really handle them all that well... Though I would've liked to see the results; Steve Jobs sent into exile in the Pacific, while the US places one of their own in his chair.
Im still wondering about that "nuke" button they didnt want to mention.
That part was added by Tom's... Apparently Mr. Parrish thought it'd make the article more interesting.
However, the US already *does* have a well-established system for arming and launching nuclear weapons. For security/reliability reasons, it operates on a completely proprietary wavelength and system that no other communications system in the world uses. Officially, no one in the field gets any hands in it; 5-star general Douglas MacArthur was fired by President Harry Truman for even suggesting it; such decisions rely entirely between the President and Secretary of Defense. So there's no need for a phone app to handle it.
A shame they didn't consider the iPhone... I can see the ads now...
"Want to usurp a foreign government? There's an app for that..."
"Want to assassinate a foreign leader? There's and app for that..."
"Want to wage a war on terror on another nation's sovereign soil? Yup, there's an app for that, too."
Hmmm real-time collaboration and language translation... I'll get right on that :-)
Also i think DARPA's reason for Android is Windows mobile tends to be buggy and not programer friendly and the iPhone just isn't battle capable. I'm sure HTC will come up with a rugged bulletProof phone
Such decisions rely entirely between the President and Secretary of Defense. So there's no need for a phone app to handle it.
Wait a sec.... so you're saying is Obama doesn't want a nuke button on his phone?
/joke
That's the US Department of State. The Department of Defense doesn't really handle them all that well... Though I would've liked to see the results; Steve Jobs sent into exile in the Pacific, while the US places one of their own in his chair. That part was added by Tom's... Apparently Mr. Parrish thought it'd make the article more interesting.However, the US already *does* have a well-established system for arming and launching nuclear weapons. For security/reliability reasons, it operates on a completely proprietary wavelength and system that no other communications system in the world uses. Officially, no one in the field gets any hands in it; 5-star general Douglas MacArthur was fired by President Harry Truman for even suggesting it; such decisions rely entirely between the President and Secretary of Defense. So there's no need for a phone app to handle it.
I thought MacArthur was fired for being insubordinate...like with the Korean war stuff
man if i'm going to the battlefield carrying only an Android device instead of a fully automatic rifle, it better has a GPS so i can call air support and they can carpet bomb everything around the spot i'm calling from.
Hmm interesting. I wonder how well this will integrate with JNN and other communications technologies. There are literally thousands of potential use's for this stuff, especially if they develop some form of external interface for sensors and attaching to other devices.
What, like you need a bleedin' computer to tell you, your border system is a complete joke and your president is a globalist's puppet?!
Think that "nuke" button (context: sane, rational thought), has already been pressed, perhaps..
But yeah, yeah..isn't technology wonderful - helping to alleviate poverty and empower people around the world..just look at all the money certain people can make from it, even if it's ultimately used against their own people.
The US Military IS a closed system, with proprietary BS and an egotistical dictator at the helm. I hadn't thought about it that way before, but it's true.
Is it just me, or does this proposal seem a little half baked and not well though out. Why would you sanction an app that, lets say for the sake of argument increases the lethal capability of a combat troop. Good for our service men, right? Until you really think about it, there must be hundred of millions App devices, maybe, just maybe
the "evil doers" might have such a device. So now they can calculate a bullet ballistic with all of the devastating lethal results that is comparable to a professional solder that is in American military; the most modern military in all of history. Just imagine a whole host of apps designed for the US military service men, now being used against them. I guess there is some small advantage to having dedicated multi-million dollars military hardware and software that only the American arm force can afford. A 0.99 kill app? it really
just does not make too much sense. Don't the evil doers prove their tenacity with utilizing
unexploded Americans munitions to create IEDs. Would it have been better to have just contracted
this work with private software developers.
www.davidevans.googlepages.com
a mapping app for finding where the local girls hang out. Or a game called Where in the World is Carmen bin laden.