Army mortar teams have replaced 20-year-old software used to calculate firing data and ballistics with a new application designed for smartphones.
The US Army is actively pursuing modernization efforts through its Project Convergence, integrating commercial tech where possible to address legacy system inefficiencies.
This move highlights a broader trend within defense towards rapid software and COTS integration, enabling faster iteration and potentially reducing development costs for critical military functions.
Legacy, proprietary military hardware and software are being replaced by commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) smartphone technology and modern applications for tactical calculations, improving agility and efficiency.
- · Defense software developers
- · Smartphone ecosystem providers
- · US Army (tactical units)
- · Traditional defense prime contractors (legacy systems)
- · Vendors of outdated military hardware
Mortar crews will have faster, more accurate firing solutions and reduced equipment overhead.
This successful integration will encourage further adoption of COTS and commercial software across other military domains, accelerating modernization.
Increased reliance on commercial standards could pose new cybersecurity challenges and supply chain dependencies for national defense infrastructure.
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Read at Army Times