The Army's boot mounted tracker

[Slater]

So, sort of a "military ankle bracelet"?

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has awarded a $16.5 million contract to Robotic Research LLC for footwear-mounted trackers for dismounted soldiers to keep track of each others’ whereabouts in GPS-denied environments or places with poor connectivity.

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/12/25/robotic-research-wins-us-army-contract-for-footwear-mounted-trackers-for-soldiers/

[flenna]

So, sort of a "military ankle bracelet"?

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has awarded a $16.5 million contract to Robotic Research LLC for footwear-mounted trackers for dismounted soldiers to keep track of each others’ whereabouts in GPS-denied environments or places with poor connectivity.

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2019/12/25/robotic-research-wins-us-army-contract-for-footwear-mounted-trackers-for-soldiers/

Works great until the enemy hacks into the system and sees where all your troops are located.

[Alpha-17]

Works great until the enemy hacks into the system and sees where all your troops are located.

Or everyone comes to rely on it for troop identification and it craps out, leading to friendly fire. There's nothing inherently wrong with the concept, but there are a few inherent dangers.

[Firefly]

Not everything needs a transponder.

Sometimes less is more. And beyond that, nothing is everything.

[mack7.62]

"GPS-denied environments" think about it, China is placing their own GPS system into orbit, China is placing laser armed satellites into orbit to fend off "space junk", nothing to see here, make fun of Trump for wanting a Space Force. With our dependence on GPS we can only hope we are developing hardened stealth GPS satellites that can either be deployed quickly like ICBM's or be placed in orbit ahead of time as sleepers.

[Averageman]

When it comes to Warrior skills, technology is great until you become dependent upon it.
Map Reading using paper maps is a perishable skill that needs constant honing to remain a viable skill. I'am afraid we are letting this one slip to the side in order to use GPS.
Honestly, I'm not sure who is running the Army now, but as a retired Senior NCO, I find the whole thing bordering on stomach churning.

[Striker6]

Let’s be honest, some 1st SGT was tired of all his E4’s disappearing when he needed a detail and wanted to find out where they go to sham.

[Slater]

Heck, in the movie "Aliens" (IIRC) their location trackers were a small wristwatch-looking device. Seems a lot less bulky than this one :D

[dwhitehorne]

That contraption pictured is a joke. Who the hell is wearing that thing any length of time. Obviously the designers need to strap on a few and go for a little mot run and then drag them through an O course and see how long those stay in place. David

[soulezoo]

Let’s be honest, some 1st SGT was tired of all his E4’s disappearing when he needed a detail and wanted to find out where they go to sham.

Hey! I was that 1st Sgt! Piss off!!
;)

[rero360]

I am that 1SG, can’t be wearing that thing into a SKIFF or a number of other places.

[Alpha-17]

Let’s be honest, some 1st SGT was tired of all his E4’s disappearing when he needed a detail and wanted to find out where they go to sham.

Damn. The next generation of the E4 Mafia will have to adapt to these technological attempts to make them put in work. It'll probably take quite a bit of effort, and may take longer than actually doing the detail, but hey, it's the principle of the matter.

[Coal Dragger]

Just buy boots without the tracking unit.

[FlyingHunter]

Transitional technology as we phase out human soldiers.

https://www.boston.com/news/technology/2019/09/25/boston-dynamics-video-robot-gymnastics

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/ugv.htm

[Boba Fett v2]

I'm sure it'll be somehow be integrated into the Blue Force tracking/FBCB2 system that already exists.