Ever since the drone thing, live-streaming battlefield video has been the bee’s knees for the U.S. Military’s armchair generals strategists. So it’s no surprise, really, that the U.S. Marines have a hard-on for rifle-mounted surveillance technology (no doubt referred to as RMST). Here’s an excerpt from the request for information submitted by Marine Corps Systems Command . . .
The MCRCO [Marine Corps Rapid Capability Office] is seeking technologies that increase individual and small unit situational awareness through the use of multi-media sensors to pass video, picture, and/or text with other personnel and units within close proximity . . .
The technology sought should be attachable to existing USMC individual weapon systems or able to be integrated into existing attachments such as scopes. Technologies must allow the captured information to be transmitted through radio-frequency communications and be displayed to other individuals or units using an additional portable device.
marinecorpstimes.com is on-board: “The new technology would enhance situational awareness for Marines operating in difficult combat environments.” Either that or inflict information overload on COs, and make grunts worry about constant second-guessing from higher-ups.
In any case, I’m not quite sure what advantage RMST has over HMST (Helmet Mounted Surveillance Technology), but what do I know? It’s only my tax money paying for this stuff.
This was supposed to be a thing like 20 years ago, but it was too bulky and clunky. Remember Land Warrior?
This is the civilisation of the military. I expect a lawyer to sue the military using the video tape.
Or prosecute the Pfc. who, god forbid, greased poor, misunderstood Achmed.
NO THANKS!!! it’s bad enough that you can have a micromanaging 1SG watching you on cam. Had that happen in Iraq. We were on patrol and as I got out of the truck my pant leg hooked on something in the door jam unblousing my boot. Well about 5 seconds go by as I’m walking down this dusty dirty road when from no where I hear a voice over the company net.
VOICE: SGT Bob.
Me: Yes God is that you?
Voice: dammit no it’s Callsign 7.
Me: oh. Damnit. Yes Callsign 7?
Callsign 7: Your right boot is unbloused I suggest you stop and fix it now.
Me: Uhh ok I didn’t catch that but I’ll fix it once I get in the truck.
Callsign 7 : I said fix it now.
Me: Uhh I’m kinda out in the open here it ain’t happenin.
Callsign 7: Bob fix it!
Me: shhh uh…. sshhhh…. eeeerrrrr. rog ssshhhhh top shhhhhhh…. break….. shhhhhh out…..shhhhh
That’s about when you put two portables face to face and key one up. It sends a nice feedback squeal over the air.
didn’t have another guy with a portable close enough to pull that off without being caught on camera. My personal favorite was letting the terp answer all questions from Callsign 7 in Arabic. We got really tired of him calling every 30 seconds for a sitrep while we waited for EOD to clear a suspected IED. Think the record best time was 6 hours.
Cool. Then all we need is a direct access brain control chip and the powers that be can micromanage in real time. Just like a video game.
No thanks.
You are getting at what I was thinking. This is all meant to turn a soldier (Marine) in to a meat drone. The F-22 and F-35 are supposed to have a similar function where an AWACS can take control of the aircraft and its systems and basically turn a manned plane in to a drone.
Situational awareness my ass. Those cameras have such a limited perspective that it will just make more noise and movement at higher command and add to confusion.
“Situational Awarness” is just an other way of saying, “We don’t trust you when you say over the radio ‘TIC, request CAS.'” If they don’t see it with their own eyes, they aren’t willing to risk their carreers based on a wounded LCpl screaming in to the radio.
Maybe they can pack the cameras with high explosives and turn every marine in to a claymore. Dead Marine being poked by ISIS = kaboom. Enemy KIA and no friendly weapon falling in to the hands of an enemy.
Welcome to Aliens. (At least that was the first place I saw something like this.)
There it is; I was waiting for that.
I also recall that one camera was malfunctioning early in the mission and the grunt “repaired it” by knocking his head against a bulkhead…
Saw a YouTube video once of a cop pulling over a stripper who immediately suggested some “action” to get out of a ticket and then flashed some twenties. She had drugs out and visible. He arrested her for the drugs and DUI and then when he got her to the station, she started accusing him of indecent liberties. Once the jail staff had taken her away, his last comment was, “I’m sure glad I’ve got that body cam.”
I suspect the brass is looking for a similar thing here. The head-mounted cam isn’t always going to be enough.
“I’m sure glad I’ve got that body cam.”
What’s that about a booty cam?
If decisions can be made remotely, then what to we need soldiers for? Mount the gun and camera on a remote controlled vehicle and fight the whole war from the bunker.
Be patient, we’re working on that. No, that isn’t a joke.
I predict a very high equipment malfunction rate once the first video shows up in some poor grunt’s court martial…
People had go-pros all over the place in Afghanistan and during the workup. I don’t approve of livestreaming through, its a security hazard when haji haji can look at your stream and see where you are.
Streaming to your own encrypted file server so the government can’t steal your video though, that would be cool.
Lets not forget eagle eye, aka, you are being watched on the G-boss by higher, do everything by the book!
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