So why e-tools over paper TOs, and why now? Understandably, O&M personnel see the advantages of not having to lug four or five heavy books of paper TOs in and out of aircraft. In fact, e-tools will eventually replace more than 13 million pages of technical orders, in turn eliminating countless hours of taxing manual labor and making better use of maintainers’ time on the flight line. It appears that the Air Force has already begun to experience the benefits of integrating this technology, which include ease of use on the flight line, increased efficiency in processing data, a unified network of information and heightened connectivity.

It is clear that the Air Force is committed to providing maintainers on the flight line with the best equipment. A recent Military.com article discussed the replacement of paper TOs at Robins Air Force Base and several other bases in Air Force Materiel Command, noting that they’re testing how laptops work in a variety of environments, while also weighing in on potential issues related to battery power and screen brightness.

In order to ensure reliable and efficient management of digital TOs, it is vital that the devices selected be properly tested and deemed fit for the e-tools job. As the largest provider of e-tools to the Air Force, Panasonic Solutions Company works closely with them (and other military branches) to ensure Toughbook laptops and handheld computers are optimized to not just survive the rigors of maintenance environments, but deliver new levels of efficiency as well.

Customers in classified environments depend on the physical security of their computing devices, and we pride ourselves on providing a reliable solution. Matching the rugged design and sunlight-readable touchscreen of the Toughbook 19 and Toughbook 31 with the failsafe enterprise-class DriveArmor solution from Mobile Armor (meticulously designed to prevent unauthorized access to data on lost or stolen computers) meets the specialized needs of military customers. We appreciate that Military Embedded Systems fully comprehends the value of this pairing, and are honored to accept their Editor’s Choice distinction.

*Military Embedded Systems. Copyright OpenSystems Media, 2010. All rights reserved; used with permission.

Some of the most prominent takeaways of the report include:

• The importance of designing a rugged product from the inside-out, not just adding a rugged exterior.

• How rugged tablet computers are offering greater functionality and heightened performance

• How Hill Air Force Base is interested in rugged tablets for eTools flight line maintenance

Rugged technology is no longer just a feature or option for field workers: it is nothing less than essential.  Ultimately, the solutions discussed in the Snapshot are changing the ways in which the public sector operates. I would encourage officials in all levels of government to read this report and recognize the possibilities for enhancing their mobile workforce.

Troop Transport

On Sept. 14-16, soldiers from around the country will gather at IDGA’s 2^nd Annual Heavy Vehicles Summit to explore the latest advancements in heavy vehicle technology.  Before the summit begins, I would encourage them (as well as anyone in the military) to watch this Webcast discussing a key component of today’s heavy vehicles:  mobile computers.

The Webcast features my colleague Peter Romness, who heads the U.S. Army sales team for PCSC, providing key insights into why rugged computers have become so integral to missions utilizing heavy vehicles.  Soldiers are using Toughbook notebooks in military applications like the FBCB2 to quickly access vital data and increase their situational awareness on the battlefield.  They’ve also been able to streamline vehicle maintenance paperwork processes by utilizing the notebooks for managing checklists and procedures.

To ensure Toughbook notebooks are the most reliable and durable devices for our soldiers to complete tasks wherever they’re deployed, Panasonic has also tested its fully-rugged computers to meet (and in many cases surpass) the newer and more demanding MIL-STD-810G standard for environmental conditions.

We look forward to attending the upcoming Heavy Vehicles Summit, and are honored to work with the U.S. military finding new ways to utilize heavy vehicles.

The current issue of Government Computer News features an in-depth review of the latest Toughbook® 30 model, by Lab Director John Breeden.  It provides an excellent summary of how the latest upgra

des, such as a brighter screen with anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings, support government users who require a notebook that will operate under any conditions.

The Toughbook 30’s concealment mode is a new feature that can be easily overlooked, but figured prominently in the review due to its significance for the police and military. GCN saw firsthand how easy it is for a user seeking to remain undetected to shut off all external lights while leaving the computer fully running. It’s a great example of how Panasonic engineers its computers to meet the specific needs of end users.

The information collected by aircrafts in Afghanistan is sent to soldiers on the ground, who use Toughbook® computers to spot suspicious changes or patterns. According to Osborn, ODIN is “reputed to have killed 3,000 alleged bomb-planters and led to the capture of several hundred more.”

As technology becomes more pervasive on the battlefield, whether through drones or robots, reliable laptops that can withstand extreme conditions are now more important than ever. We’re proud that Toughbook computers have played an important role in the U.S. Military for years, and look forward to supporting these exciting new technologies as they come along.