Comments on: Darpa Preps for “Baghdad 2015″

By: Macaca

Macaca — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:05:10 +0000

I think the military should hire (or consult) some people from the gaming industry. There’s loads and loads of gadgets invented in all kinds of games that would be very usefull in the real world. The disposable camera is one of them (im some form or another), all kinds of connected devices (with swarm behaviour with bulk produced sensors) are another. It’s all there for grabs.
And most of all it’s better interface and information design they need. Maybe the military can get a productivity boost just like businesses did when all programs became user-friendly. (i just read a report/story on the procedure of a JDAM strike, it was insane)

By: desertsnake

desertsnake — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 12:30:41 +0000

The “Mortar round, with Grenade sized blast”? With a fiber optic cable reeling out of it…so that Joe can see his opponent? Someone has been watching way too much “Aeon Flux”! How about using the Gajillion dollars that it will costs for that nifty little toy, and developing a plan that will keep the future Jihadi/wanna be Holy Warrior on his Sofa watching World Cup soccer, instead of ballsy enough to go out in the street, and try to RPG an Abramas that just rolled down his street! We need to get our heads around defeating extemeism at the source– not waiting until the day he has already dug the hole for the IED, or has one of our guys in his sights…its too late then!

By: Stop lossed

Stop lossed — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 07:46:16 +0000

Sigh… technology is no substitute for training. How about taking those DARPA dollars and upping the amount of time Joes stay on the range with thier weapons, more fire team/squad level training, and not just for the combat arms folks; CSS people are the weakest link, and you know what’s said about weak links…

By: Robot.Economist

Robot.Economist — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:33:44 +0000

Call me a skeptic, but I think this spending on urban warfare-centered will all be for naught if we think about terrorists and insurgents as “these uppity children of the third world.“
I think the last three years in Iraq and four in Afghanistan have proven that insurgents, terrorists and militias can be incredibly resourceful and savvy (read: dangerous).
Also, the ‘strategic corporal’ from Krulak’s “Three Block War” can have all of the situation awareness in the world, but it won’t amount to much unless he is constantly present and knows how to apply his knowledge advantage effectively. Are DOD planners thinking about the force structure and educational requirements associated with all of this gear?