DARPA plans soldier-tagging system for US troops
Entirely for their own good, apparently
DARPA, the Pentagon boffinry outfit which bestrides the tech world like some mighty, erratic robot colossus with a frikkin laser beam on its head, has made a new move. The plan is to electronically tag US combat soldiers in a similar fashion to criminals under judicial restraint, the idea being that the troops can then be swiftly found and rescued if they get into trouble.
DARPA calls the plan "Individual Force Protection System", and it intends to have it taken forward by monster US defence contractor Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). Apparently in DARPA's view, "SAIC is the only known source in the case of a follow-on requirement with the in-depth knowledge and experience with the Individual Force Protection System".
IFPS has already undergone extensive development under a previous contract. It evidently isn't ready to go yet, though, as "DARPA requires research, development and technical services to complete development". The research agency issued notice of its plan to go on with SAIC last week.
According to this presentation (pdf), given last year by DARPA officials, IFPS would consist of a small, three-inch lightweight tag attached to a soldier's uniform and a variety of vehicle-borne or portable receivers which could locate the tag even amid the busy electromagnetic spectrum of the modern battlefield. The DARPA people believe that there's no need to have GPS satnav in the tag itself, allowing its battery to last much longer, and that tracking ranges as good as 150km (in line of sight) would be possible.
All this is considerably better performance than current commercial offerings. The IFPS tags could still make sense for US ground forces even if they were fully equipped with systems such as Land Warrior, which provide a lot of digital comms nodes and GPS sets throughout a ground unit.
Firstly, defeated soldiers in an escape-and-evade situation often have to dump a lot of their equipment, so the Land Warrior terminals might well have been thrown away. Secondly, at present only team leaders carry the Land Warrior gear anyway because of its weight. The comparatively teeny IFPS tags could easily be worn round every soldier's neck along with his dogtags, allowing friendly forces to find him even if he'd lost touch with the military comms net. (There would obviously need to be ironclad security on devices of this kind, or our man wouldn't be doing much escaping and evading.)
DARPA does seem as though it might be open to some criticism on the idea that only SAIC can possibly take IFPS forward. Other companies are offering systems right now with similar capabilities, though there are differences of detail. The UK's Miltrak, for instance, uses standard mobile phone and satnav electronics in suitable ruggedised cases and is on the front lines in Afghanistan right now.
In any event, hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians will no doubt be smiling thin, snaggle-toothed smiles over their tin mugs of untaxed home-made bathtub moonshine at the news as they savour the irony. Rather than the free sons of America being tagged up and their every move watched from on high by federal helicopters (doubtless of sombre colour scheme), it seems that in fact it is the very government troops themselves who will be monitored.
No point in even discussing it-
Other than to ask, If it works on the battlefield will it work in IOWA? Alt+F4 Allows GodLikeProductions User to Check Current score in Thread Dialog.
"GLP has some batty shit, but yours takes the fucking biscuit "-Disputed-
Hurray for Anarchy! This is the happiest moment of my life.
Evil Twin Forum Moderator User ID: 474610 7/28/2008 4:40 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
In any event, hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians will no doubt be smiling thin, snaggle-toothed smiles over their tin mugs of untaxed home-made bathtub moonshine at the news as they savour the irony. Rather than the free sons of America being tagged up and their every move watched from on high by federal helicopters (doubtless of sombre colour scheme), it seems that in fact it is the very government troops themselves who will be monitored.
Quoting: Kanigo2
If the military is publicly acknowledging the tech, they've had it for 10-20 years. I suspect the interesting people are already tagged. This is my helmet. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 399680 7/28/2008 4:59 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
According to this presentation (pdf), given last year by DARPA officials, IFPS would consist of a small, three-inch lightweight tag attached to a soldier's uniform
Quoting: Kanigo2
So you POST the correct info, THEN ADD an absolutely ASININE, STUPID, and NONSENSICAL subjectline.
Jerkwad!
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 471491 7/28/2008 6:06 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
If the military is publicly acknowledging the tech, they've had it for 10-20 years. I suspect the interesting people are already tagged.
READ the fucking story. NO ONE is getting 'chipped'.
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Quoting: Anonymous Coward 471491
Maybe not but the story does deserve posting as it wouldn't be a major leap to say that the tags represent too much of a threat of being used as bait for ambushes.And that a chip inserted randomly on the soldiers body and linked to bio read outs is the next logical stage.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 357529 7/28/2008 7:00 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
In any event, hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians will no doubt be smiling thin, snaggle-toothed smiles over their tin mugs of untaxed home-made bathtub moonshine at the news as they savour the irony.
Quoting: Kanigo2
Are there any hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians here?
Anonymous Coward User ID: 357529 7/28/2008 9:12 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
In any event, hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians will no doubt be smiling thin, snaggle-toothed smiles over their tin mugs of untaxed home-made bathtub moonshine at the news as they savour the irony.
Are there any hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians here?
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 423111
Hay mujeres aqui que desean que las levanten a punta de palo?
Bob(tm) nli User ID: 464660 7/28/2008 9:25 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
If anyone gets it yet , they can also be tracked, by the ENEMY.
Quoting: Kanigo2
So what? Any enemy that is sufficiently advanced to track our RFID tags is probably sufficiently advanced to listen in on our radio communications today. (And there probably aren't too many such enemies.)
But that wasn't the point of your original post anyway. The point of your post was "Mark of the Beast," etc. And it's just not here.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 441711 7/28/2008 9:57 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
who cares, they already gave their souls to satan when they signed up to fight for the system. they take the mark when they sign up, the rest is just details.
If anyone gets it yet , they can also be tracked, by the ENEMY.
So what? Any enemy that is sufficiently advanced to track our RFID tags is probably sufficiently advanced to listen in on our radio communications today. (And there probably aren't too many such enemies.)
But that wasn't the point of your original post anyway. The point of your post was "Mark of the Beast," etc. And it's just not here.
Quoting: Bob(tm) nli 464660
The most important thing here is the whole concept of Mark Of The Beast.
If the Bible had not said it Flat out, it would have already been implemented.
So the whole concept of tracking an individual has to take other forms.
You can expect these RFID chips coming to a police force NEAR YOU soon.
Oh, I didn't mean to throw anything like AN ENTIRE SYSTEM ALREADY IN PLACE TO TRACK THESE DEVICES built into the communications grid of the United States and even tell you the frequency they operate on.
Nah, nothing to see here......
Its just a small tag in a soldiers uniform, nothing to worry about. Alt+F4 Allows GodLikeProductions User to Check Current score in Thread Dialog.
"GLP has some batty shit, but yours takes the fucking biscuit "-Disputed-
Hurray for Anarchy! This is the happiest moment of my life.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 473581 7/28/2008 10:24 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
its an electronic dog tag...it makes sense that the army would want them on soldiers.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 473581
Why isn't this story in the US news? Why it isn't being debated amoung the US folks who would would be affected by this invation of privacy? Why is it secret?
Anonymous Coward User ID: 441711 7/28/2008 10:41 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
its an electronic dog tag...it makes sense that the army would want them on soldiers.
Why isn't this story in the US news? Why it isn't being debated amoung the US folks who would would be affected by this invation of privacy? Why is it secret?
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 423111
because the only people being affected are troops, who signed a piece of paper that says they are govt property for life. they give all rights away for financial compensation and benefits, its whats called a trade off.
The topic is interesting, but the title steals credibility. The Mark will be a flagrant disregard and refusal of Christ, this has nothing to do with it. "Illegal aliens have always been a problem in this country, ask any indian"
"If you are going to minister to wolves, don't go dressed like a sheep"
"The quickest way to a man's heart is extreme force through the sternum"
Omega Total Unequivocal Bad Fuckin' News User ID: 340280 7/28/2008 10:59 AM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
In any event, hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians will no doubt be smiling thin, snaggle-toothed smiles over their tin mugs of untaxed home-made bathtub moonshine at the news as they savour the irony. Rather than the free sons of America being tagged up and their every move watched from on high by federal helicopters (doubtless of sombre colour scheme), it seems that in fact it is the very government troops themselves who will be monitored.
If the military is publicly acknowledging the tech, they've had it for 10-20 years. I suspect the interesting people are already tagged.
Quoting: Evil Twin
Mcveigh of OK City fame was chipped. Yahoo IM omega375hh
The topic is interesting, but the title steals credibility. The Mark will be a flagrant disregard and refusal of Christ, this has nothing to do with it.
See really the whole catch of this was HOW IT WAS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
Any of these taken at first glance might appear as docile non intrusive forms.
But when placed together.....become entirely different.
I would also like to point out that this is a DAARPA project. Simple ID tracking and soldier ID tags could easily fall into a smaller budget.
------------------------------------------
Flagrant disregard and refusal of Christ?
No.
The Mark will BE FORCED UPON PEOPLE.
“He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:16-17
I do not want to talk of it in a religious tone.
I am Talking the Mechanics of the system-No more. Alt+F4 Allows GodLikeProductions User to Check Current score in Thread Dialog.
"GLP has some batty shit, but yours takes the fucking biscuit "-Disputed-
Hurray for Anarchy! This is the happiest moment of my life.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 290322 7/28/2008 12:40 PM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
If anyone gets it yet , they can also be tracked, by the ENEMY.
Anything that puts out a radio signal can be triangulated.
Quoting: Kanigo2
Thats exactly what I thought when I read the OPs report. This is an extremely double edge sword move. Whats to stop them hacking the system? They could view us on a map and pick every single one of them off, or at the very least have the strategic advantage to deploy attacks. Now a system that is INACTIVE until the trooper turns it on, ie it cant be remotely turned on, small enough to be light weight to carry, that would be a life saving thing.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 464050 7/28/2008 1:24 PM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
In any event, hardcore compound-dwelling libertarians will no doubt be smiling thin, snaggle-toothed smiles over their tin mugs of untaxed home-made bathtub moonshine at the news as they savour the irony. Rather than the free sons of America being tagged up and their every move watched from on high by federal helicopters (doubtless of sombre colour scheme), it seems that in fact it is the very government troops themselves who will be monitored.
If the military is publicly acknowledging the tech, they've had it for 10-20 years. I suspect the interesting people are already tagged.
Quoting: Evil Twin
Indeed, I would guess they've had the technology for about 20 years too. I'm not nearly as worried about chipping as I am about things like the Big Dog robot. We've just now been shown the robot, so they've probably had it for over a decade, at least. Obviously they're going to be used as fully autonomous attack vehicles, and are probably already in full production, guns and/or laser rifles and all.
Imagine a 'pack' of Big Dog robots running down the street, guns a blazin. Not a fun image.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 471491 7/28/2008 1:36 PM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
The most important thing here is the whole concept of Mark Of The Beast.
Quoting: Kanigo2
BULLshit.
In the Bible, the 'mark' is JUST that, a PHYSICAL mark that you ACCEPT, not some electronic part that's attached to clothing, and can be removed. ALSO, the 'mark' in the Bible is REQUIRED to buy and sell stuff, this tracking tag is NOTHING like that!
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 471491 7/28/2008 1:42 PM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
its an electronic dog tag...it makes sense that the army would want them on soldiers.
Why isn't this story in the US news? Why it isn't being debated amoung the US folks who would would be affected by this invation of privacy? Why is it secret?
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 423111
HOW in the FUCK do you figure that a tracking tag for soldiers affects ANYTHING besides those soldiers??
DAMN, the stupidity level is a RECORD levels here today!
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 471491 7/28/2008 1:43 PM
Re: Darpa is going to chip our soldier- Mark of the beast.(Uniform RFID, SAT Link)
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