What is Squad X, and how much will it change the U.S. Army?

[Lodestar]

Source: Reuters

The U.S. military has launched a program to equip its front-line soldiers with the latest battlefield technology. The Squad X initiative would give an Army or Marine Corps squad new computerized weapons, the latest smartphone-style communications and even easy-to-use robot helpers.

The program aims to help the troops “have deep awareness of what’s around them, detect threats from farther away and, when necessary, engage adversaries more quickly and precisely,” according to Army Major Christopher Orlowski, who’s managing the Squad X effort on behalf of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon’s cutting-edge science department.

Squad X is still just a concept. It’ll be up to Orlowski, other DARPA officials and the defense industry to determine exactly what technology the program includes. But one thing is clear: The government wants to profoundly change the way squads move, communicate and fight.

The problem is, the military has tried these sorts of technical advances before. Several times, in fact. Not only did the previous attempts fail, they cost American taxpayers billions of dollars.



Read more: http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2016/04/10/what-is-squad-x-and-how-much-will-it-change-the-u-s-army/

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Hmmmmm......


The advanced research agency and Orlowski are obviously hoping that the third time is the charm for the U.S. military’s high-tech squad makeover. DARPA is set to host a meeting in Virginia in late April to begin enlisting private industry’s help in developing the new hardware. Only time will tell if Squad X finally manages to outfit front-line squads with new technology … that actually works.

[Depaysement]

1. Technology for Squad X is already here

It's effective implementation that is the problem.

Plus, exactly why do we really need this?

[OldRedneck]

2. Why do we need this? Simple . . .

General Dynamics, Boeing, Motorola, Colt, Lockheed Martin, United Technologies, Honeywell, BAE Systems, Raytheon . . .

[BeanMusical]

5. +1

[bemildred]

3. This is the same bullshit they've been trotting our for 35 years now.

"The U.S. military has launched a program to equip its front-line soldiers with the latest battlefield technology."

It doesn't work this way. Soldiers don't need the latest battlefield tech., they need the best, and they need it to work, and they need it to not need too many batteries and the occasional reboot.

[BeanMusical]

6. I hope that it's not asked to upgrade to Windows 10 all the time.

[sofa king]

11. Yep, the zombie corpse of Land Warrior.

And they all rely upon the same flawed premises: that your side will have "spectrum supremacy," the ability to reliably communicate in real-time in wartime conditions; that the complexity you introduce will work for, rather than against you; that your enemy will sit back and permit you to operate your flash expensive system without identifying and attacking its weaknesses, or simply leave the area to attack your stooge allies, instead.

What has worked, consistently and well, is high levels of discipline, physical fitness, and realistic training. All these bullshit programs inevitably demand more of all those things, so our soldiers are still among the best--as soon as they cast off their expensive shit and go back to being soldiers.

We could save untold billions by focusing on the physical and mental well-being of our troops, before and especially after their tour of duty, rather than treating them as a meatsack guidance system for expensive toys.

[bemildred]

12. Yeah, it's the exact same bullshit.

I was there, I remember it well.

And support everything you say too. Weapons don't win wars, people do.

[PersonNumber503602]

14. Sounds a lot like the Land Warrior System from years ago

and probably countless others.

[bemildred]

16. I know of several more. Dumbsfeld's for one. nt

[warrprayer]

4. if it WORKS

then those in harms way should be given tbe best equipment available.

[mpcamb]

8. First, tho, Let's keep them out of wars and conflicts.

[warrprayer]

18. agreed

war should always be a last resort.

[Javaman]

7. it's like the X-Men without all the cool powers but with all the killing. nt

[AxionExcel]

10. x

[tabasco]

9. More war profiteering is what I foresee.

"Star Wars" for the infantry.

The last thing the infantry needs is more fucking gadgets hanging off their LBE.

[TipTok]

13. We have trouble picking out a new pistol...

So that should tell you all you need to know...

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. Some General wants to simplify the process ...

... by buying a bunch of 9mm Glocks. A moronic choice, IMO. Maybe the Army SHOULD have a book of specifications, if it stops the general's purchase decision.

(reasons for this Bozo's opinion: Glocks don't have thumb safety levers. And, one of the early steps in field stripping a Glock is "pull the trigger" (what could go wrong with that?)

[TipTok]

17. Saw that one...

I think he wanted to go to Cabellas...

[packman]

19. Do they get that eye-thingie along with the laptop?

I thought we tried that superior tech stuff in Vietnam?

[EX500rider]

20. Just like land Warrior some of the stuff will work out, some won't.

Last edited Tue Apr 12, 2016, 06:00 PM - Edit history (1)

Blue Force Tracker and the wired Stryker worked out well.


Don't know till you try and if you don't try you end up with troops using muskets against rifles.



Land Warrior gave Team Leaders and Squad Leaders (and eventually, each infantryman) a wearable computer, using an eyepiece as a display (attached to the helmet, and flips down for use), and a small keypad to control the thing. GPS puts the soldiers location on the map shown in the eyepiece. Meanwhile in Iraq, infantry officers and NCOs, equipped with PDAs, found the map/GPS combo a tremendous aid to getting around, and getting the job done. Land Warrior was also to provide a wireless networking capability, so troops not only see where they are in their eyepiece, but can receive new maps and other information. Land Warrior troops were to use a vidcam to transmit images to headquarters, their immediate commander, or simply to the other guys in their squad. Perhaps most importantly, the Land Warrior gear provided the same capability as the 2003 "Blue Force Tracker", and showed Team Leaders and Squad Leaders, via his eyepiece, where all the other guys in his unit are. When fighting inside a building, this can be a life saver.

Son of Land Warrior is already changing the way troops fight. Everyone is now able to move around more quickly, confidently and effectively. This model has already been demonstrated with the Stryker units. Captured enemy gunmen often complained of how the Strykers came out of nowhere, and skillfully maneuvered to surround and destroy their targets. This was often done at night, with no lights (using night vision gear.) When you have infantry using Land Warrior gear to do the same thing on foot, you demoralize the enemy. Hostile Iraqis already attribute all manner of science fiction type capabilities to American troops. But with Son of Land Warrior/ Ground Soldier Ensemble, the bar will have to be raised on what's science fiction, and what is just regular issue gear. This is typical of what happens in wartime, where the demand for better weapons and equipment, and a realistic place to test it, greatly accelerates the development and deployment of the new stuff.

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htinf/20090708.aspx

[LanternWaste]

21. U.S. Land Doctrine should remain at Napoleonic War era levels.

U.S. Land Doctrine should remain at Napoleonic War era levels. There is simply no reason in the modern age to develop and research new doctrines allowing land units to better adapt to new threats and a changing social and political world. I think the US infantry should stand in block formation to prevent enemy cavalry charges, and use skilled musketeers firing at upwards of three to four shots every minute.

Stagnation of doctrine prevents war profiteering and other hipster-cool bumper-stickers coming to a coffee house near you.

[EX500rider]

24. lol...exactly..

I hope we are never again where we were in early WWII with US pilots taking off in their Brewster Buffalos to give the Zeros some target practice.

[jtuck004]

22. Could bring a whole new meaning with the term "Blue Screen of Death". n/t

[sulphurdunn]

23. Right now we can't seem to defeat

people using primarily the same ancient AKs and RPGs used against us in Vietnam. How MORE technology will correct that problem escapes me.