Raytheon turns iPhones into battlefield tools

[Solid Beast]

(RTTNews) - Thursday, defense technology company Raytheon Co. (RTN: News ) said that it has unveiled the first of a series of mission software applications specifically designed for Apple Inc's (AAPL) iPhone and iPod touch. These highly secure applications are designed for government environments where access to real-time information is essential. Raytheon will work closely with Apple to deliver these and other powerful capabilities to customers in the coming months.

Raytheon said that it has developed intuitive situational awareness applications to leverage Apple's mobile content and technologies, such as a compass, global positioning system, accelerometer, 3G networks, Wi-Fi and a multitouch screen. Raytheon has also designed other innovations for the device, including disruptive-tolerant networking, content-centric networking and augmented reality, incorporating security guards for special purpose operations.

With the increased market potential of the iPhone and the more than 100,000 applications available, Raytheon has leveraged its innovations to provide U.S. military forces with the best technological advantages. The company has seen demand for the same innovations in mobile devices rise with its defense and civil customers.