U.S. Army Using iPhone App To Train Missile Crews

[vansau]

U.S. Army Using iPhone App To Train Missile Crews

You want to learn to launch some missiles? Yeah, there's an app for that.

Looking through the iTunes App Store reveals that, for better or worse, there's an app for just about everything. You can find Apps to entertain yourself with, create to-do lists, and recipe keepers, to name a few. Oh, and it turns out that there's now an app that will train you how to launch a <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIM-104_Patriot>Patriot missile.

It turns out that the U.S. Army hired developer C² to create a bunch of apps to be used for training Patriot missile crews. C² has just delivered the first-of-seven apps for the Army; the app includes video of actual crews in action, along with illustrations and animation as visual guides. Apparently the apps are designed for use in a classroom with an instructor.

Each of C²'s apps will cover the one of the following subjects:

? Launch Station march order and emplacement
? Radar march order and emplacement
? Engagement Control Station march order and emplacement
? Antenna Mast Group march order and emplacement
? Electrical Power Plant march order and emplacement
? Missile reload
? Radar maintenance

I'm used to hearing stories about how the military is using technology and simulators to train its members, but I have to say that using an iPhone is definitely a first. What I'm curious about is whether or not the Army has an arrangement with Apple to keep these apps off the public iTunes storefront.

Source: Gizmag

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[Outlaw Torn]

So if GTA and Call of Duty are used to train murderers and terrorists, surely an instructional app showing you how to use military hardware will get just as much hassle? Assuming it's bound for public eyes of course. I'm not sure why they don't just make a regular computer programme for it though, or is the US military sponsored by Steve Jobs?

 

[Therumancer]

I don't mind the idea, but I don't think that using this format for this kind of military data is a good idea. I don't think it will be intentionally released to the public, but I think with this floating around on iPhones the odds of it leaking out and getting into the wrong hands increase signifigantly.

I don't like the idea that if some terrorist organization managed to somehow steal a couple of our missle batteries after a victory in The Middle East or whatever, they would be just an iphone app away from being able to use it on some of our planes. At least without that app they would be up for a lot more trial and error.

 

[mad825]

....Its a device that processes binary data, what can it not do?

 

[theriddlen]

Well, i've already heard about snipers and artillery operators using iPhone apps to do their calculations, and Marines using iPods to interview people in Iraq.

 

[Aiden_the-Joker1]

muhahahaha my master plan is coming to fruition. Soon I will have control of all their patriot missiles.

 

[RvLeshrac]

*in slightly racist Arab accent* "Want to blow up the infidel? There's an app for that!" Yep, I'd be more concerned but terrorists can't afford iphones.

Really? They can't? Better tell bin Laden he needs to divest himself of his billions in order to be a "real" terrorist, then.

 

[Dana22]

"Missile Launcher Crews" sounds more appropriate.

 

[manythings]

*in slightly racist Arab accent* "Want to blow up the infidel? There's an app for that!" Yep, I'd be more concerned but terrorists can't afford iphones.

Really? They can't? Better tell bin Laden he needs to divest himself of his billions in order to be a "real" terrorist, then.

In my mind I can see a table of elitist terrorists in the lunch room bad-mouthing Bin Laden because he acts street but has a rich daddy.

So if GTA and Call of Duty are used to train murderers and terrorists, surely an instructional app showing you how to use military hardware will get just as much hassle? Assuming it's bound for public eyes of course. I'm not sure why they don't just make a regular computer programme for it though, or is the US military sponsored by Steve Jobs?

No one cared about the app that calculates about a hundred factors to produce an optimal shooting vector for snipers.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I don't like the idea that if some terrorist organization managed to somehow steal a couple of our missle batteries after a victory in The Middle East or whatever,

Um...emphasis on "somehow".

Personally I think this app would serve them well. You don't want people making a mistake when operating around several hundred kilos of barely-controllable explosive tipped with a thermonuclear warhead!

Um, I know there was alot of controversy about the shortcomings of the Patriot missile, but even the US military is not fucking retarded enough to stick fusion bombs on their SAM missiles.

 

[the muffin man]

so essentially if I do decide to go into artillery, i should buy an ipod. GFDI

 

[Natdaprat]

What's the advantage of an iPhone app over, say, a computer app? Will an iPhone be mandatory equipment for all soldiers so they can remind themselves which end of a gun fires?

 

[Mister Eff]

This happened a few months ago in an Iron Man comic pretty much. Hrm...

 

[illmuri]

"March order and emplacement" and "radar maintenance" are pretty tame and a few steps removed from "arming and firing your Patriot missile." The Army, not being completely retarded, likely has nothing in these apps that isnt already found in a publicaly available field manual.

As for why an iphone? Imagine you are part of the 36 hour march to Baghdad from Kuwait. Youve been awake and driving for most of it. You are in the middle of the desert on some stretch of dusty road. Just where do you park and whip out your PC to plug it in? Its much more likely a soldier will have a phone or tablet on him, than a PC or laptop.

 

[BabySinclair]

Snipers have an app that does the sight adjustments for their rifle so long as they provide elevation change, wind, muzzle velocity, distance... it's just a tool. Like this they serve as a tool to make the job easier, in this case it's a more portable manual.

 

[awesome_ninja]

ditto