Posted on 04/02/2011 11:25:34 AM PDT by Pan_Yan
Kunar Province, Afghanistan Tactical NAV, a military-grade iPhone app created by U.S. Army Capt. Jonathan J. Springer, a battalion fire support officer with the 101st Airborne Division, has successfully been used in combat to help destroy a Taliban fighting position in eastern Afghanistans Kunar Province near the Pakistan border.
As troops were patrolling along a main supply route leading to a U.S. base, soldiers in the convoy came under heavy machine-gun fire from an enemy fighting position nearby. While troops were in contact, a call for fire was initiated by the forward observer on the ground, and Tactical NAV was used to help direct 120-mm mortar rounds onto the Taliban fighting position. After the mortar rounds were observed impacting safely onto the Talibans position, all enemy contact ceased. No U.S. troops were wounded during the attack, and the mounted patrol was able to return to base following the completion of their mission.
This is exactly why I created Tactical NAV, said Springer, who is still deployed to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne. I set out to create an inexpensive and accurate tool for the Warfighter engaged in the fight, and Im happy to report that it works as described.
(Excerpt) Read more at appmodo.com ...
Yeah, there's an app for that...
LOL!
Our poor grunts are loaded down with equipment that weighs too much and can not use common batteries. Plus, the support structure that is “required” to support this boxes burns up dollars and manpower slots for little operational gain.
Besides, with today's advanced cellular phones/minicomputers it is now possible for almost every Officer and NCO to have this capability instead of only one or two. Think about the step level improvement that will make.
War app - a lighter brighter way to fight...
You’re the Apple guy, right? This might interest you.
“Reach out...reach out and touch someone...”
Thanks Pan_Yan.
In before the “these have been available since 1901 on non-Apple products” crowd arrives. At least I hope so, I didn’t have the heart to check.
After the mortar rounds were observed impacting safely onto the Taliban's position...LOLOLOLOL!!!
I’ve played with this app a bit. It could be darned effective in the right hands.
How does it work?
I’ll say that the app will be available for android in 6 months and the android device will cost half as much as the apple, and will do everything the apple will do, and more, and will work almost as often as the apple, almost as well.
I haven’t gone all the way into yet but it’s a GPS, standard map, satellite overhead view, compass, and some of the capabilities of a transit all rolled into one app.
It converts Lat/Lon into the MGRS with just a tap on the screen. To get the accurate location of an enemy position just center it on the screen, drop a pin on it, and you get the MGRS location. Mighty handy if you want to drop some dam-dam on some bad guys.
It has built in Earth and Space weather apps, too.
It’s pretty slick, actually.
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
Thanks for the heads up. . . List pinged! I reported in December about a pilot program to issue iPhones to soldiers for app use in the field and communication both there and at base for recalls.
The definition of “impacting safely” varies radically depending on where you’re sitting at the time.
Curious,
Cell towers? Network?
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