[olug] US Army 'going to Linux' after OS switch for GI PDA

[Scott Jones]

On Tuesday 28 October 2003 10:33, Bill Brush wrote:

> The "Land Warrior" system is VERY cool technology.  My only concern
> (as a history buff) is that our military is getting to "Whiz-bang"
> and then what happens to a unit that gets cut-off and is out of
> supply.  All that very expensive training and equipment becomes
> useless.

Granted, I've been out of the Army since '97, but I don't think things 
on the ground have changed all that much.  If a unit has lost C3 AND 
its supply train, it's in a world of hurt no matter what technology 
they were using.  

However, they are still trained in the fundamentals of their job in 
order to have something to fall back on.  For example, I was artillery.  
Sure, there was some automation, especially in the battery fire 
direction center, but we on the gun line were also able to lay in and 
fire with little more than a compass.  FDC had their computers, but 
they also simultaneously plotted fire missions by hand, with maps, 
rulers and ballistics tables.

> It's still damn cool though.  Someday soon we'll start seeing
> power-assist exoskeletons (the army has already started R&D on
> synthetic muscle).

Could've used either of those on long fire missions.  Those rounds get 
heavy (heavier?) after a while.

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