Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below
Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below is among the first user-friendly U.S. Army command and control networked computer systems.
A basic display will show the relevant map, containing
- Enemy positions
- Friendly positions
- Hazards and obstacles
Users can send text warnings and alerts. It can interface to vehicle-level systems such as Inter-Vehicle Information System, so soldiers in an armored fighting vehicle can know not just the location of friendly forces near them, but their fuel and ammunition reserves, their speed and course, and other information to improve cooperation and decrease the risk of fratricide. Smaller computer platforms can be issued to individual soldiers.
Another soldier-level device is the Pocket-Sized Forward Entry Device (PFED), which is a ruggedized Personal Digital Assistant that soldiers, at all levels, can send fire support requests to Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS). It both speeds the call for fire, shows the soldier the material for double-checking, and lowers the chance of error.