Apple Joins Massive Pentagon Partnership to Develop High-Tech Military Wearables

The Pentagon today announced a partnership with 162 companies and universities -- including Apple, Boeing, and Harvard -- to develop and produce a line of high-tech military gear designed to be flexible enough to be worn by both soldiers and even be "molded onto the outside of a jet" (via Reuters). The forward thrust of consumer technology is generating more trust for the Pentagon in the companies of Silicon Valley, a move that Defense Secretary Ash Carter has been attempting to guide for a few years.

pentagon apple

"I've been pushing the Pentagon to think outside our five-sided box and invest in innovation here in Silicon Valley and in tech communities across the country," Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in prepared remarks on Friday.

"Now we’re taking another step forward."

The new technology would use advanced printing processes to produce "stretchable electronics" that would be outfitted with an array of sensors to be able to track everything from the vitals of the soldier wearing it to the structural integrity of the ship or warplane to which it is attached. All told, the United States government has confirmed it will contribute $75 million over the course of five years for the project, with the partnered companies offering another $90 million, and local government contributions bringing the grand total to just north of $171 million.

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Top Rated Comments

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gadgetguy03

44 months ago

1 Billion Dollar Jet with 16GB of onboard storage...

Rating: 27 Votes

2457282

44 months ago

This is a slippery slope Tim. Be very careful. I prefer my Apple devices for many reasons. One of them is because they so far have been more privacy and security conscious than others. Getting in bed with the people that are looking to circumvent my privacy and security in the name of finding terrorist is of concern to me.

Rating: 26 Votes

Erphern

44 months ago

Hey Siri, kill.

Rating: 26 Votes

You are the One

44 months ago

Disgusting. Can't buy a US product or service anymore without becoming an accomplice to mass killing of innocent people somewhere in the world.

Rating: 24 Votes

AngerDanger

44 months ago

Hopefully, they'll iron out bugs on some of their related services which might find their way on to military wearables.

Rating: 22 Votes

Mac Fly (film)

44 months ago

We seriously need to grow up as a human race and put away our weapons.

Rating: 18 Votes

ArtOfWarfare

44 months ago

The Pentagon may be interested in Apple's technology because the Pentagon is interested in the privacy of their own data. In that case, Apple's aim of giving their customers privacy is perfectly inline with the Pentagon's aim of keeping their own privacy.

Rating: 16 Votes

one more

44 months ago

A sad day for Apple and all the root principles they used to propel themselves to the top with: "Think Different" with portraits of Gandhi, being the first in line with worldwide relief in case of natural disasters and presenting themselves as a global forward thinking company that actually cares about human values. :(

Rating: 16 Votes

Danoc

44 months ago

We seriously need to grow up as a human race and put away our weapons.

Agreed.

Now, you first.

Rating: 15 Votes