US Military on the Move: Rugged Notebooks Lead the Way

“Where does it hurt?”(click to view full) The US military is a military on the move. It also is a military on the computer and the network. Linking those two aspects together are notebook computers that can be taken on patrol as well as used on the flight line, at a command post, or in a field hospital. But US military’s notebooks are not like everyday laptops. They are built to withstand the harsh conditions of Afghanistan or the demanding conditions of flight-line maintenance. They need to be rugged and able to withstand sand, water, wind, heat, cold, jarring impacts, and various chemicals and fluids. This article examines the US military’s standards and criteria for rugged notebook computers, the environmental and work environments that the rugged computers must be able to endure, as well as assessments of how rugged computers respond in practice. But first, let’s examine what we mean by the term “rugged.” * What is rugged equipment? * Gold standard * On the battlefield * Flight-line use * Procurement of rugged computers * Key Contacts * Additional Reading What is rugged equipment? Rugged electronic equipment is equipment that needs additional protection because of the environment in which it […]