Want to learn how to launch a Patriot missile? Turns out there's an app for that. Incorporating video of actual Patriot Missile crews in action as well as 3D animation and illustrations, C² Technologies, Inc.'s Patriot Missile mobile app trains Patriot missile crews how to position and ready the Patriot missile system to launch and fire. The app is designed to not only provide training for soldiers at any time and any place, but also to offer access to critical information in the field.
In late September 2010, the U.S. Army selected C² to develop a series of apps for training Patriot missile crews. The company has just delivered the first segment in what will be a series of seven iPhone apps the company will ultimately provide to the Army. It was developed using the Unity 3D game development platform and using a "develop once, use twice" technical approach, the C² developed mobile apps can also be used on laptops and desktop computers as well as iPhones.
C² will deliver the seven apps along with associated Interactive Multimedia Instruction (IMI) training lessons designed for use in a classroom with an instructor. Each app will cover one of the following seven areas:
- Launch Station march order and emplacement
- Radar march order and emplacement
- Engagement Control Station march order and emplacement
- Antenna Mast Group march order and emplacement
- Electrical Power Plant march order and emplacement
- Missile reload
- Radar maintenance
This isn't the first time the U.S. Army has turned to computer games to train its soldiers, and isn't even the first time it has made use of mobile gaming platforms. Since 2002 the America's Army videogame has been available as a free download to not only train soldiers but entice people to enlist. In the eleven years since its launch there have been 26 versions released, including America's Army: Special Operations for mobile phones.
