iPod helps U.S. fight insurgents in Iraq

Here is a case of dual-use technology. The U.S. army is using iPods and iPhones to help troops carry out operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The devices have been embraced by the military because they are relatively easy to use, can safely carry secure software and are far cheaper than manufacturing a version specifically for the army. Capable of holding more than 30,000 programs, Apple’s best-sellers are being used for everything from translating to working out the trajectories of snipers.

The Daily Telegraph reports that the military is also working on how they can be used as guidance systems for bomb disposal robots and to receive aerial footage from unmanned drone aircraft.

The U.S. Marine Corps is currently funding an application that would allow soldiers to upload photographs of detained suspects, along with written reports, into a biometric database. The software would match faces, in theory making it easier to track suspects after they’re released.

Members of the British military who have seen the Apple instruments in action are envious, but the U.K. the Ministry of Defense remains wary of security implications and has “no plans” at present to go down the American path.

Lieutenant Colonel Jim Ross, the director of the U.S. Army’s intelligence, electronic warfare, and sensors operation, believes, however, that the iPod “may be all that the personnel need.” “What gives it added advantage is that a lot of them have their own personal ones so they are familiar with them,” he told the Telegraph.

Another advantage is the price. The iPod touch (which soldiers can use over a secure WiFi network) retails for around $230 and the iPhone for $600. Bulk orders placed by the Pentagon bring further savings.