According to The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon has begun integrating smartphones into the NGC2 command-and-control system, which is intended to improve the survivability of troops on the battlefield.
The system combines smartphones, Wi-Fi-enabled radios, drones, satellite communications, artificial intelligence and cloud technologies. This gives military units a real-time view of troop positions and allows information to move more quickly between different levels of command.
US military leaders expect NGC2 to let units operate in a more dispersed formation without losing communications or coordination. The approach reflects the growing threat posed by low-cost drones and precision-guided missiles, which make large, stationary concentrations of personnel and equipment increasingly vulnerable.
The system has already been tested during exercises on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. US troops used chest-mounted smartphones and radios linked through a mobile network, along with a drone that collected information about the surrounding terrain.
The Pentagon expects NGC2 to cut the time between detecting a target and striking it from several hours to just a few minutes.
More than 80 companies are currently involved in the project. Artificial intelligence within NGC2 is expected to process drone data, identify enemy equipment and assist with planning ammunition supplies.