US Air Force Agrees to Purchase $9 Million Worth of iPads

[Sweetcheetah]

They should wait a week and buy the iPad 3.

I wouldn't think most pilot would be needing the boosted processing power or be doing or playing HD games and watching HD movies etc etc or doing any sort of extensive editing on those devices so why spend more than they need? And I'm sure for the general consumers there will be a hell of a lot of use for power processing because we are spoiled for them. I can't wait to get the iPhone 4S myself, a huge upgrade from my "ancient" 3gs. Don't get me wrong, i've been able to use a lot of features and apps for everyday productivity with the 3GS. Just that I'll be able to do a lot more and faster with the device.

It all depends on what is most beneficial to the cost of use of any devices. If the full potential of a device is barely reached, might as well use the one that is potentially matched to that of the end users.

 

[matrix07]

they should have waited until the iPad 3

The title is misleading. This can include iPad3 and in fact most of the purchases will be iPad3. I gues retina display plays a part to finalize the deal considering they had cancelled the purchase once just recently. Thinking about all those HD maps...

 

[C. Alan]

That's a lot of iPad's! Now the Pentagon is going to write new policies for locking them down and restricting their use so that they're almost useless.

Oh so much of THIS...

How in the hell are they going to sync them with the current AF restrictions on flash media?

 

[Sweetcheetah]

Oh so much of THIS...

How in the hell are they going to sync them with the current AF restrictions on flash media?

Usually, when an iPad or iPhone is being adapted for a specific industry a proprietary apps and equipments are made for them. Seen it done all the time. Medical devices and hook ups. Cable company equipments. Auto industries to check engine problems hook ups. It's going to be easy to build to adapt. Not to mention consumerism adaptation.

You can put a iPhone 4S on a plastic long gun that you mount the iPhone onto and it turns into an augmented Virtual Reality Game that utilizes the gyro scope as you turn your body will the game app adapted to this gun and you can play a virtual duck hunter or First person shooter game with your WHOLE body movement. HOw cool is that.

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Mmmm Interesting. Why not any other htc tablets? Or Samsung tablets? Why not the over sized Samsung phone and tablet in one? Why not PC of some sort? Guess Apple continues to win the hearts of industry users. I've seen a lot more industries such as hospitals, cable companies, restaurants, school, etc preferring apple product than any other product devices.

 

[Reeebo]

One EMP shockwave and it'll be all over... army needs to make sure not to depend too heavily on these things

 

[sfjava]

Why don't they just start using better technology in their plane instrument panels. I'm sure most that stuff is heavy

FAA is extremely slow implementing new technology. Just look at the debate on GPS technology that FAA recently approves it to replace the airport old radar system.

 

[Tones2]

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Well to be fair, the military and governments in general do not make snap decisions to buy anything.

The Air Force and Pentagon probably have had this on the burner for months in committee and study before they decided to purchase. Plus Apple likely provided them a quote, for the current available product, quite some time ago. All long before the iPad 3 rumors started. Plus they can't plan to buy a product that hasn't been announced yet.

Comeon...you'd have to be living in a vaccum to not know the iPad 3 release schedule was slated for March and it would have a Retina. They could have negotiated to wait until the next release - it's not like they got a good deal on the iPad 2's anyway.

BTW - I assume this means that I can use MY iPad during takeoffs and landings.

Tony

 

[LostSoul80]

The title is misleading. This can include iPad3 and in fact most of the purchases will be iPad3. I gues retina display plays a part to finalize the deal considering they had cancelled the purchase once just recently. Thinking about all those HD maps...

I don't think there's a need for maps to be viewed on a higher resolution, that doesn't make any sense.

If they opt for the iPad 2 they would actually conclude a good deal now.

 

[martiansoldier]

That's $520 per iPad… Looks like negotiation isn't one of the Air Force's strong points!

Why would they negotiate when the taxpayers, i.e., most of us here are footing the bill?

 

[S.B.G]

Comeon...you'd have to be living in a vaccum to not know the iPad 3 release schedule was slated for March and it would have a Retina. They could have negotiated to wait until the next release..

I would speculate that yes, they probably knew a new iPad would be released, but they can't test and procure based on rumors of an unannounced product.

 

[SBlue1]

ipad 2?

 

[mrsir2009]

They're not going to spend 9 million on iPad 2's with the iPad 3 just round the corner, are they?

 

[taxiapple]

That's $520 per iPad… Looks like negotiation isn't one of the Air Force's strong points!

......or the price may have include extended warranties, training, perhaps a 64GB model, maybe even was specially modified.

In any event I am sure they payed less than list price

 

[champ01]

"The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $9.36 million contract to purchase as many as 18,000 iPad 2s"

The U.S. Air Force or The U.S. Tax payers?

 

[kdarling]

... Plus Apple likely provided them a quote, for the current available product, quite some time ago. ...

They're not buying them direct from Apple, but from a value-added reseller who will no doubt also have to set them up with the proper software, cases, etc.

From the original article:

Air Mobility Command announced the award today to Executive Technology Inc., a Phoenix-based computer services company, Captain Kathleen Ferrero, a military spokeswoman, said in a telephone interview.

...

The competition drew 24 proposals from interested companies, Ferrero said. She wouldn’t name the companies or say whether Cupertino, California-based Apple responded to the request. The command’s decision was based in part on the lowest- priced offer, she said. - Bloomberg News

Mmmm Interesting. Why not any other htc tablets? Or Samsung tablets? Why not the over sized Samsung phone and tablet in one? Why not PC of some sort?

They did. The military has been using Windows and Unix laptops and touch tablets as pilot aids since they first came out in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The iPad is cheaper than most touch PCs, so that's a reason to choose them for this particular transport application where ruggedness isn't required. It also currently has a better selection of COTS EFB software than the Android tablets.

For other situations that require more security than EFBs do, the DoD and Army have been approving Android devices with a certified OS version:

The government chose Android over Apple's iOS platform because Apple was unwilling to provide the government with access to the platform's source code, something that is readily available for Android. - mobileburn

Speaking of vetting applications to make sure they don't transmit personal data:

"The researchers in the program have tested over 200,000 (Android) apps for security clearance already. "

Would love to have a list of the ones that made it

 

[taxiapple]

"The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $9.36 million contract to purchase as many as 18,000 iPad 2s"

The U.S. Air Force or Tax payers?

The article said the US Air Force

 

[notjustjay]

Comeon...you'd have to be living in a vaccum to not know the iPad 3 release schedule was slated for March and it would have a Retina. They could have negotiated to wait until the next release - it's not like they got a good deal on the iPad 2's anyway.

When it comes to military and government stuff, this stuff takes a LONG time. Months, if not years, from initial proposals to RFPs to contract award to writing system specifications and requirements. By the time the stuff is developed, test and acceptance procedures are written and executed, and the proper signoffs are obtained, the rest of us could well be using iPad 5's. And if that was the case, they can't just say "oh, we'll just swap out the iPad 2's for the new hardware" -- that would invalidate the test and safety procedures and they'd have to start all over again.

 

[Lucent336]

One EMP shockwave and it'll be all over... army needs to make sure not to depend too heavily on these things

If an EMP hits anywhere near enough to knock out an iPad in the cockpit of an Air Force craft, losing the Nav charts on the iPad will be the least of their worries.

Since, you know, it'd also knock out ALL electronic functions on the craft.

 

[orangerizzla]

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I hope they remember to switch them to airplane mode! ;-)

 

[Freis968]

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I wonder if they bought AppleCare.

 

[kdarling]

If an EMP hits anywhere near enough to knock out an iPad in the cockpit of an Air Force craft, losing the Nav charts on the iPad will be the least of their worries.

Since, you know, it'd also knock out ALL electronic functions on the craft.

Perhaps not. Depends partly on when the engine and cockpit electronics were designed and built, and of course on how much the craft is valued

For example, U.S. early warning and command center planes are EMP hardened, as are most bombers, ICBMs, and cruise missiles made over the past twenty-five years.

It was widely assumed that the Russians would begin any attack with a HEMP (high altitude EMP) blast over North America from an otherwise innocently orbiting satellite.

 

[Hardtimes]

That's $520 per iPad… Looks like negotiation isn't one of the Air Force's strong points!

To be fair, the US military are hardly renowned for their intelligence or negotiation skills.

Still, if they gave a few iPads out to some of those guys to alleviate some boredom, there might be a few less dead civillians to sweep under the carpet.

 

[FarmerP2011]

Slight issue

Great idea, just hope they harden them against EMP or this could be a problem.

 

[firewood]

D'ya think they'll ensure they switch 'em off during take-off & landing like the rest of us?

You don't have to switch devices off if the operator (airline officials for commercial flights, the pilot for private planes) certifies that the devices are safe and gives you permission to leave them on.

 

[Abazigal]

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It makes sense to go for a somewhat older model. It will be cheaper and already tested for flaws or bugs.

Besides, good luck getting an ipad3 if the army is snapping up that many units. You should be happy they are not vying with you. Imagine if they came down to your local apple store with tanks and commandos to escort that new ipad3 shipment....