Final Project for Comm 303

1. Battlefield Communication Technology
by
Ricky Sacra
COMM. 303

2. Purpose
• Describe multiple communication technologies and their
battlefield applications.
• Explain various theories of dispersion regarding selected
communication technologies.
• Predict future technological advancements and uses for
selected battlefied communication technologies.

3. Battlefield Assessment
 As communication
technology advances in
the civilian world.
 It must also advance on the
battlefield.
 U.S. technology is vastly
superior to many of our
current “enemies”
 Most dangerous threat to
our forces now is not
enemy soldiers, but a fairly
simple technology known
as an I.E.D.

4. Improvised Explosive Device
• Most common “communication technology” used for detonation
is cell phone
• Other “trigger methods” can be wire, radio, victim operate,
infrared and pressure plate
• Most common detonation method is pressure plate
• Commonly used in unconventional warfare
• Delivery methods: person, car, roadside, animal,
and boat to name a few.
• Technological countermeasures exist but are
very inconsistent.

5. IED Countermeasures
• Includes but not limited to:
• IED Countermeasures Equipment (ICE) and the Warlock
• use low-power radio frequency to block signals of initiators
• Neutralizing Improvised Explosive Devices with Radio
Frequency (NIRF)
• produces high frequency field to neutralize IED electronics
• Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
• Detects traces of explosives up to 30 meters away

6. “Friendly” Fire
M982 Excalibur
• “Smart” round, designed to minimize collateral damage
• 155 mm extended range guided artillery shell
• Precise GPS guided munition and capable of close support
• Can be used within 490 feet of friendly forces
• Range- 25-35 miles
• Cost- $50,000 per
M982 “communicates” with GPS to locate target. Has ability to point
straight down once target acquired. Meaning, only target/building
destroyed is the one intended. No surrounding collateral damage or
personnel or structures. (Theoretically)

7. Uncle Sam’s GPS
Force XXI Battle Force Brigade and Below
(FBCB2)
• Linux based communication platform designed for
commanders to track friendly and hostile forces on battlefield
• Information gathered by satellite, near real time
• Viewed graphically, and exchanged via both free and fixed text
• Mounts inside tactical vehicles

8. Component and Uses of FBCB2
Components
• Computer, monitor, satellite antenna, satellite receiver, keyboard and GPS
Uses
• Provides commanders and ground forces with friendly and hostile locations
• Send / receive battlefield instructions
• Send / receive battlefield updates and reports
• Send / receive battlefield evacuation and/or support requests
• Locate and determine route

9. The “Commander’s Voice”
Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System
(SINCGARS)
• Combat Net Radio (CNR) system currently used by allied forces
• Radios, which handle voice and data communication
• Reliable, secure and easily maintained
• Vehicle mount, handheld, backpack, and airborne factors available
• Has single frequency and frequency hopping modes
• Frequency-hopping mode “hops” 111 times per second

10. Theories
 Umbrella Perspective on Communication
Technology
 Roger’s Diffusion of Innovations
 Moore’s Innovation Adoption Rate
 Critical Mass Theory
 Uses and Gratification Theory
 Media System Dependency Theory
 Social Learning Theory/ Social Cognitive
Theory
 The Theory of the Long Tail
 The Principle of Relative Constancy

11. Umbrella Perspective on
Communication Technology
• Stems from writings of Everett M. Rogers and Sandra J. Ball-Rokeach
• Rogers defined communication technology as “The hardware equipment,
organizational structures and social values by which individuals collect,
process and exchange information with other individuals(Grant and Meadows
2008).” Ball-Rokeach suggests that “communication media can be understood
by analyzing dependency relations within and across levels of analysis,
including the individual, organizational and system levels.” She also identifies
“three systems for analysis: the media system, the political system and the
economic system (Grant and Meadows 2008).”
• Levels to consider -Hardware, software, organizational infrastructure, social
system, and individual users
• Factors to consider –enabling, limiting, motivating, inhibiting

12. Diffusion of Innovations Theory
Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain
channels over time among the members of a social system .Given that decisions
are not authoritative or collective, each member of the social system faces his/her
own innovation-decision that follows a 5-step process
1) Knowledge – person becomes aware of an innovation and has some idea
of how it functions,
2) Persuasion – person forms a favorable or unfavorable attitude toward the
innovation,
3) Decision – person engages in activities that lead to a choice to adopt or
reject the innovation,
4) Implementation – person puts an innovation into use,
5) Confirmation – person evaluates the results of an innovation-decision
already made. -Rogers

13. Critical Mass Theory
a theory to describe the existence of a
sufficient amount of adopters of an
innovation in a social system such that
the rate of adoption becomes self-
sustaining and creates further growth.

14. Uses and Gratifications Theory
An approach to understanding why people actively seek out specific
media outlets and content for gratification purposes. The theory
discusses how users proactively search for media that will not only meet
a given need but enhance knowledge, social interactions and diversion .
It assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an
active role in interpreting and integrating media into their own lives. The
theory also holds that audiences are responsible for choosing media to
meet their needs. The approach suggests that people use the media to
fulfill specific gratifications.
This theory would then imply that the media compete against other
information sources for viewers' gratification.

15. Media Systems Dependency Theory
The basic dependency hypothesis states that the
more a person depends on media to meet needs, the
more important media will be in a person's life, and
therefore the more effects media will have on a
person.

16. Social Learning Theory
Theory derived from the work of Albert Bandura that states people learn through
a social context. The theory proposed three “models” and each modeling process
could involve several steps.
Models
• Live model – in which an actual person is demonstrating the desired behavior
• Verbal instruction – in which an individual describes the desired behavior in detail, and instructs the participant in how
to engage in the behavior
• Symbolic – in which modeling occurs by means of the media, including movies, television, Internet, literature, and
radio. This type of modeling involves a real or fictional character demonstrating the behavior
Steps
• Attention – in order for an individual to learn something, they must pay attention to the features of the modeled
behavior.
• Retention – humans need to be able to remember details of the behavior in order to learn and later reproduce the
behavior.
• Reproduction – in reproducing a behavior, an individual must organize his or her responses in accordance with the
model behavior. This ability can improve with practice.
• Motivation – there must be an incentive or motivation driving the individual’s reproduction of the behavior. Even if all
of the above factors are present, the person will not engage in the behavior without motivation.

17. The Theory of the Long Tail
Compared to a “normal” curve or bell shaped curve of
distribution…
“What is unusual about a long-tailed distribution is that the most
frequently-occurring 20% of items represent less than 50% of
occurrences; or in other words, the least-frequently-occurring
80% of items are more important as a proportion of the total
population.”

18. Principle of Relative Constancy
“In it’s simplest form, The
Principal of Relative Constancy
suggests that a relatively
constant proportion of national
wealth (usually approximated
using Gross Domestic Product)
is spent on media every year.”

19. Theoretical Influences
Many of the theories described would not have the exact effect’s
of dispersion, popularity or use on battlefield communication
technologies as they would regarding civilian communication
technology. Defense department contracts are often times sold
to the cheapest bidder with a product that will get the job done
efficiently, accurately and correctly. A soldier doesn’t usually
have the option to choose what is hip or cool. He chooses what
he is issued and trained to use.
However, with that said, communication technologies are
improving everyday. The enemies of America have access to the
same websites, social networks and technologies that we do. As
our abilities improve, so does theirs.

20. 2022 Battlefield Communication
Technology
As the battlefield seem to regress back to more traditional
warfare, the soldier, the enemy and the technology will
continue to progress and advance.
We already have unmanned aerial vehicles. We have
prototypes of body armor that will help the soldier stay cool or
warm, and built in systems that can help to stop bleeding if
wounded.
We have kevlar helmets with built in radios and night vision.
We have satellite guided weapons systems. We have all the
communication technology needed to exact warfare on a
direct location.
Perhaps in 2022 we will be “advanced” enough to not need
anymore battlefield communication technologies.

21. References
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvised_explosive_device
• http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/57512.pdf
• http://www.hmmwvinscale.com/warlockcounteried.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M982_Excalibur
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FBCB2
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Force_Tracking
• http://wikicommedia.wikispaces.com/Umbrella+Perspective#f1
• http://www.stanford.edu/class/symbsys205/Diffusion%20of%20Inno
vations.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_mass_(sociodynamics)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uses_and_gratifications_theory
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_learning_theory
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Tail
• http://economicsofadvertising.com/?page_id=76