The Nett Warrior system provides SA to the dismounted leader with the aim of enabling faster and more accurate decisions in the tactical fight.
NW employs a system-of-systems approach, optimizing and integrating capabilities while reducing the soldier’s combat load and logistical footprint.
[3] Nett Warrior is based on an “end user device,” essentially an Android or iPhone-like smartphone tied to the Rifleman handheld radio, to link into command-and-control networks and use applications to call in fire support, plan and coordinate operations, and track friendly forces.
Connection to the Army network dropped out repeatedly, leaving soldiers out of contact with other parts of the unit, and when it was online the bandwidth was so restricted that they had to wait minutes before apps would start working.
One source of the complaints was attributed to soldiers having high expectations that weren't met because they compared the system to the performance of their own smartphone devices.
The Army plans to field 600 Nett Warrior systems in each Infantry Brigade Combat Team to be worn by squad leaders.
[5] In July 2013, the Army installed the Samsung Galaxy Note II into Nett Warrior as the system's end user device.
Once acquired, the phones have their commercial features including cellular antennas, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth wiped out by Army engineers, and the Nett Warrior software is installed on the National Security Agency-approved Android operating system.
[6][7] On 14 October 2014, the U.S. Army Geospatial Center recommended AFRL's Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK), over the world-leader Esri's Commercial Joint Mapping Tool Kit (CJMTK), NASA's World Wind, and the Army's Globe Engine (AGE) for map engine driving the Nett Warrior End User Device.