Washington Policy Brief > Air Force to Implement Use of iPads

Air Force to Implement Use of iPads

January 05, 2012

Following the commercial aviation industry’s move to using tablets, the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has decided to implement iPad tablet computers as electronic flight bags that will replace physical ones. According to an article in Nextgov.com, instead of working off paper navigation charts, crew members will use the iPad for navigation charts and technical manuals.

Nextgov.com reported that AFSOC officials tested tablets in five aircraft, including the vertical takeoff and landing CV-22 Osprey, and determined that the iPad "outmatched all peer competitors – not only meeting but exceeding AFSOC mission specifications." The article noted that the Air Force officials determined after a three-month product evaluation that only the Apple tablet met its requirements, so it plans to acquire 2,861 iPad 2s.

Maj. Pete Birchenough, who ran the Air Mobility Command tablet computer flight test, said “switching to digital products would cut down on the massive amount of paper manuals and flight charts carried on each aircraft, which he estimated to be about 70 pounds.” It was also reported by Nextgov.com that the transition to the electronic flight bag will save printing costs and distribution time.

According to the article, the AFSOC plans to equip its iPads with GoodReader software from Good.iware, which encrypts individual files to ensure data is secure even if an iPhone or iPad is lost or stolen. The iPads will also contain digital versions of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Flight Information Publications for navigation.

The article noted that Air Mobility Command conducted a test of electronic flight bags in 2011 and said it will conduct in-depth analysis and decide in spring 2012 if it will use them in its entire fleet of cargo aircraft.

Maj. Gen. Rick Martin, director of operations for the Air Mobility Command, said it "has been looking at tablet and mobile devices for several years as possible tools for increasing mission productivity, decreasing office automation costs and achieving other potential benefits such as portability and flexibility."

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