How the Super Bowl Will Reach US Submarines 142
Velcroman1 writes "Ever wonder how troops serving abroad in remote locations and even underwater might get to watch the Super Bowl? The very same highly advanced technology used to pass classified drone video feeds will be deployed this Sunday to ensure U.S. troops can see the Super Bowl — - no matter how far away from home they are. The broadcast is the result of a unique media, government and technology partnership with the American Forces Radio and Television Service, Raytheon and the U.S. Air Force. The Global Broadcast Service (GBS) may be normally used to disseminate video, images and other data, but major sporting events have been broadcast over it as well. The system will be 'as small as a laptop, and [equipment] the size of a shoebox and umbrella' yet 'in other places will be projected onto large screens in hangers' like aircraft carriers out at sea, explained Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems' chief innovation officer Mark Bigham."
Go Niners! (Score:2, Insightful)
Go Niners!
Ever Wonder? (Score:0, Insightful)
Ever wonder how troops serving abroad in remote locations and even underwater might get to watch the Super Bowl?
No, I'm more concerned at the already over-inflated military budget being spent on watching a fucking football game.
Re:Ever Wonder? (Score:5, Insightful)
First, it's a sunk cost. The network was already needed for their mission. It would be wasteful not to put it's idle time to some good use.
Next, morale improvement is very much a legitimate contributor to military readiness.
Re:No problem paying for (Score:5, Insightful)
The equipment was already necessary for legitimate military objectives. Why not put it's idle time to good use?
Meanwhile, I am guessing that you either don't understand the role of morale in military readiness or you want to pay for defense but not actually be defended.
Yes, god forbid they should want any entertainment (Score:5, Insightful)
Soldiers should be perfect automata, wanting nothing but to serve their country, needing no entertainment, no respite, willing to work with complete focus as much as is required.
Oh please cut the fucking shit.
Soldiers are human, and they need recreation just like everyone else. Now maybe watching football isn't your choice for that, it's not mine either, but you are in no position to judge others for what they like.
What's more, it helps give them a sense of connection to their country. Serving on a ship, and a sub in particular, is lonely. You are gone for months at a time, in the case of a sub often totally cut off. This is a way to get a "taste of home" as it were, to get to participate in something that a large part of the nation is also doing.
Re:"The Big Game"* (Score:4, Insightful)
FTFY. The combination of the words "The," "Super," and "Bowl" is copyrighted by the NFL
Nonsense. It may be trademarked by the NFL, but it certainly is not copyrighted. If you want to complain about IP law, you might want to take a few minutes to learn the basics. Also, using a trademarked term to refer the the trademarked item is fine. It is only a violation to use it to refer to a confusingly similar item, or in a way that implies endorsement. So it is okay to use the term "The Super Bowl" to refer to ... The Super Bowl.
Re:Sounds like a movie plot (Score:2, Insightful)
All the military guys and resources are busy with the game. Time for the surprise attack.
Does it involve a blimp?
Re:Sounds like a movie plot (Score:4, Insightful)
The Canadians. No I'm not joking. All they need to do is take the ICBM fields and they aren't a bad joke anymore.
They sent us Celine Dion and Justin Beiber. I think that counts as a declaration of war.
Re:Ever Wonder? (Score:4, Insightful)
First, it's a sunk cost. The network was already needed for their mission. It would be wasteful not to put it's idle time to some good use.
Next, morale improvement is very much a legitimate contributor to military readiness.
Indeed - if you have people fighting for you, it helps to remind them once in a while of what they're fighting for.
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)