Re: Silicon Valley techies suit up Army with sleeker gear

["Ken Garlington" <ken.garlington@computer.org>]

"Jim Rogers" <jimmaureenrogers@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:3C67C694.4090200@worldnet.att.net...

[snip]

> I suspect the
> customer has severe requirements concerning reliability,
> maintainability, and weight. These requirements normally exceed
> the performance of off the shelf hardware systems.

You may want to read the full article:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2002/02/07/tech-military.htm

"The firms - Pacific Consultants, Exponent, Pemstar and Computer Sciences -
ignored rigid Army specifications and brainstormed ideas. They lightened the
Land Warrior computer harness, wrote new software and worked closely with
soldiers. Today, the new Land Warrior is earning rave reviews from troops
testing it. 'A dramatic improvement,' says Army Lt. Col. Scott Crizer.
Military officials say 48,000 Land Warrior outfits may roll out by 2004 to
be used by Army troops in training and combat... in early 1999 Jette brought
in high-tech consultants Exponent, a Silicon Valley firm that studies
engineering and structural failures and accidents. The firm felt that
Raytheon had followed Army specs for the project too closely."