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On Target With iPads
Close-Air Support Pilots Use Devices To Solve Map Problem
U.S. Marine Corps pilots in Afghanistan are using Apple iPads in life-and-
death situations downrange.
For about a year, pilots in Afghanistan have been using the devices to store
charts and maps necessary for conducting close-air support missions,
according to several pilots who have flown out of Camp Bastion in Helmand
province.
"It is giving me the ability to give better service to that infantryman on
the ground," said Lt. Col. Matthew Mowery, commanding officer of Marine
Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, which is deployed. "This speeds up the
process. When I check in with him on a close-air support mission, we can
cut out probably about 15 minutes of back-and-forth on the radio."
Now, pilots just confirm they are looking at the same map and targeting the
same building as ground troops. And then? Bombs away.
Under the old way, pilots in AH-1W Cobras, UH-1Y Hueys, AV-8B Harriers and
KC-130J Harvest Hawks had to shuffle through the 60 to 80 pounds of maps to
find the right one that detailed where the infantry was fighting.
That is most problematic for Cobra pilots, who operate in a tiny cockpit,
Mowery said.
"That's a lot of paper and not a lot of place to put it," he said.
So much paper can get dangerous, said Lt. Col. William Bufkin, the former
deputy G-3 for operations for 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward).
"It becomes a hazard to flight because you have to stuff those things into
corners. It reduces visibility," said Bufkin, now the wing's director of
aviation training systems.
Even with 80 pounds of maps, pilots still couldn't carry enough to cover all
of Regional Command-Southwest, the Corps' area of operation in Afghanistan.
"There is a chance that you could get called to go support troops in contact
and you wouldn't have the detailed map of that area," Bufkin said. "That
delays target prosecution because you have to be really cautious about what
you are shooting at."
To remedy the problem, Capt. Jim Carlson, a Cobra pilot with HMLA-369, began
experimenting with his own iPad. He found he could digitally link all the
maps together and hyperlink details to larger-area maps.
The idea caught on, and Carlson devised new ideas using commercially
available applications. He even found one that allowed pilots to draw on
maps with their fingers in what Bufkin called "John Madden style," referring
to the former National Football League coach and analyst.
Higher-ups caught wind and began scrutinizing the unofficial practice out of
concern for operational security.
Bufkin began calling around and pulling strings at Naval Air Systems Command
in Patuxent River, Md., to get the practice an official seal of approval.
The pilots were storing only nonclassified maps on the iPads, and NAVAIR
eventually got on board with the idea, ruling their utility far outweighed
any risk.
Bufkin then put in 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing's first official order.
"I said, 'I want 32 of these smart devices with screen protectors and cases,
and I want to give a number to Cobra and Huey guys and Hornets.' With their
speed, they could be called anywhere," Bufkin said. "The whole buy was less
than $20,000 - a hiccup in the grand scheme of defense spending."
"Since then, it has literally gone viral," he added. "Every aviation unit in
the Marine Corps wants them. But there are issues because of security
concerns. But we are heading that way."
Bufkin has even been approached by British pilots wanting to use iPads.
The only complaint is that the device lacks durability. "The iPads, the
problem with them is they are not ruggedized - and Marines are pretty tough
on their gear," Mowery said. "But they are holding up acceptably, and we are
able to replace the ones that are broken."
He expects the problem will be solved one day with the introduction of an
integrated system built for aircraft. |
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