Army to Upgrade Land Warrior System With Blue-Force Tracker

摘要

In response to feedback from soldiers in Iraq, the Army intends to add blue-force tracking capabilities to a handheld computer that is being developed for the Land Warrior program. The battle-management computer, called the Commander's Digital Assistant, was designed to help battalion and company commanders, as well as platoon leaders, maintain "situational awareness" of their troops as they move around the battlefield. The CDA is the cornerstone piece of technology the Army intends to field in Land Warrior, a system that integrates everything that a soldier wears or carries. Land Warrior also is part of an ambitious long-term plan to connect dismounted troops into tactical networks. Several units in Iraq tested handheld and laptop-size versions of the CDA in recent months. Their observations-many of which were critical of the system-are shaping future upgrades to the technology.