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To: mhking
I saw this system being demonstrated on a Discovery Channel special. It includes a 'secure battlefield wireless network'. The rifle even has a mouse button on it (no joke!). The funniest (or scariest) thing is that the system runs on a modified version of Windows 2000. If your electronics crash, I wonder how long they take to reboot?

There are many vunerabilities in this system.

First, a splash of mud disables optics. There's a lot of mud splashing around battlefields. Without the optics, the entire system is virtually useless. I wonder if they'll issue paper towels & Windex with this equipment?

Second, since the system includes a wireless network, the soldiers are emitting RF signals. I just hope the enemy doesn't come up with RF-homing mortar rounds. And like all electronics gear, it will emit heat as well, making IR detection of our troops that much easier for the enemy.

Third, any wireless network, no matter how secure, can be hacked. Imagine if the enemy could see a detailed battle map with our disposition of forces, and everything we knew about that enemy's forces? They would even be able to see through our soldiers' helmet cams in realtime. If they hack our signals, our troops die. And there's no way to know when those signals are being intercepted. We just assume our equipment is so secure, that it can't happen.

Fourth, these things have got to eat lots of batteries. Batteries are heavy, they don't last long with these kind of electronics, and on the battlefield there's never enough of them.

Fifth, EMP devices pumped by conventional explosive charges are a well-known technology that's been around for a couple decades. A conventional EMP bomb detonated nearby would turn all of our technology in the area into useless scrap.

Sixth, one of the big problems with communications that are too good is that squads in combat get micromismanaged by REMF pouge officers back at the command post who don't know sh*t from Shinola. Can you imagine the level of micromanagement if such officers can get realtime communications and video from each individual soldier all the time? Pity the poor squad leaders.

Seventh, as has been mentioned, all this eletronics gear is complex, heavy and prone to breakdown. Electonics and moisture aren't a good combination. Electronics don't do well with heat. Electronics also don't do well with being pounded on, vibrated, hit with shock waves from explosions and being fallen on by a couple hundred pounds of soldier desperately trying to set a new speed record in hitting the dirt after the first round of incoming goes off a dozen yards away.

I know we have to develop technology like this to keep ahead of the tech curve. But I think it's being rushed into the field by Pentagon goobers with a woody over this latest new technotoy. I think we'll use it in training and develop new tactics that create a strong dependance on this technology. And once it goes into the field for real, and it fails, or worse, the enemy hacks into and uses our own technology against us, our people will die.

41 posted on 07/27/2002 5:54:02 AM PDT by Vigilant1
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To: Vigilant1
There is a concept coming out to rplace the battery.

Ever hear of a Turbo-Expander? It is a turbine wheel, spinning by compressed air, with the air being re-cycled through the turbine to cool it...anyways, that is one method to create liquid hydrogen, LOX, whatever.

Using a small device like this, that can be miniaturized, you can hook up magnets and generate electricity with it. The smaller you make it, the more man-portable it is. Because it uses air bearings, it needs no lube either, and the only moving parts are the turbine shaft.

It would fit inside any radio today, and all it would take to get it started is a small C02 container like for a pop gun.

translation: batteries be gone. Plus, it would be so small, you can carry two of these to replace the normal battery for an old PRC-77, size wise.
57 posted on 07/27/2002 9:18:50 AM PDT by RaceBannon
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