October 18,
2008: After years of complaints from the
users, the U.S. Army is building a new version of its "Blue Force
Tracker" tracking (for vehicles on the battlefield) device. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Blue Force
Tracker (BFT, GPS/satellite telephone devices) were hastily placed in thousands
of combat vehicles. Anyone with a laptop, satellite data receiver, the right
software and access codes could then see where everyone was (via a map showing
blips for each BFT user).
This hasty
(all the stuff was still in development) experiment was a huge success, and the
United States has proceeded to add more of this capability by producing and
distributing 50,000 additional tracker devices. There are some problems,
however. The biggest hassle is the delay (often up to five minutes) between
getting updated data from the satellite. Another big problem is that stationary
icons, placed on BFT user screens to indicate enemy troops or dangers (like
minefields or roadside bombs), don't get updated accurately, or in a timely
fashion. Once the troops begin to encounter a lot of roadside bombs that don't
exist (although Blue Force Tracker shows them), they begin to lose faith in the
system. Fixing this is not easy, although several different solutions are being
tried.
The army
believes it has fixes for the major complaints. For example, BFT2 will have a
ten second (or less) delay between satellite updates. New software will help
clear away inaccurate icons indicating where the enemy is, or may be. The BTF2
network will also allow users to send more information to each other, including
attachments. This will enable BFT2 to be used in automated command and control
systems, that work more effectively because they can pass more information,
more quickly, between the headquarters and the troops.
While the
existing BFT laptop (which includes the satellite communications hardware)
costs $1,500. BTF2 will cost $2,500 each (but will be a much more powerful
piece of equipment). Currently the army and marines have 55,000 BFT tracking
devices (and far fewer laptops equipped to display BFT data for commanders),
and plans to get at least as many of the BFT2 units, and perhaps as many as
120,000. BFT2 is expected to start shipping to the troops in two years. There
are already eight BFT2 prototypes undergoing testing.
