Predictable Performance in Unpredictable Field Conditions

The British Armed Forces are better able to complete every mission, even in the harshest environments, with Dell Rugged solutions.

“The Dell Rugged gear left the competition far behind. Other tablets failed in the first rainfall, but the Dell devices kept working.”

Steve Heaword
Former British serviceman and jungle warfare expert

Business Needs
The British Armed Forces (BAF) have a broad mission: to defend the U.K., its overseas territories and the Crown dependencies. The BAF also support humanitarian aid and world peacekeeping efforts. To meet these vast obligations, military personnel need mobile, resilient and available technology that can stand up to the most extreme conditions anywhere.

Business Results

• Enables military command and control centers to be set up virtually anywhere
• Offers glove-capable, multi-touch screens that can function in torrential rains
• Resists drop shocks — lab-tested up to 2 meters, field-tested up to 10 meters
• Provides service and support worldwide, including war zones, unlike other suppliers

The sun never sets on the global, multifaceted responsibilities of the BAF. Whether they’re operating in steaming jungles, frozen tundras, stormy seas or perilous skies, the highly trained personnel need the latest, most reliable PC technology to complete their wide-ranging missions. Chief among the responsibilities is defending the United Kingdom, its international territories and the Crown dependencies. In addition, the BAF often join other nations in supporting peacekeeping and humanitarian aid efforts around the world.

Given such disparate responsibilities in diverse locations, it’s no surprise that the BAF have earned worldwide renown for the ability to conduct expeditionary warfare when needed. Since the BAF typically operate far from established bases, this military capability must be self-sustaining, requiring mobility, agility and, in today’s world, excellent command and control communications to work anywhere.

According to Steve Heaword, a former British serviceman and jungle warfare expert, the key to any successful operation is a clear objective backed by skilled, experienced troops, reliable intelligence and dependable, high-performance equipment. Now technical director for Crib Gogh Ltd, a U.K. firm providing protective and load carriage systems for military and security forces worldwide, Heaword led an evaluation for the U.K. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) of how various laptops and tablets from different suppliers would perform as a remote command and control center in equatorial jungle environments. The 18-week trials were in remote parts of Malaysia with former members of the Malaysian Special Forces.

Jungle Survival Trials
The team tested Dell Latitude Rugged laptops, Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme tablets and Dell Rugged accessories, along with devices from several competitors. “We wanted to learn which vendors provided the best performance, reliability and connectivity in what’s arguably one of the most hostile places on the planet,” Heaword says. “Our exercises included tactical field operations, remote site reconnaissance missions and combat simulations, but we focused on troop escape and evade drills that took us through mangrove swamps, river crossings, and primary and secondary jungles. We also endured life-threatening flash flooding.” Heaword reports that the Dell Rugged models he and his team tested exceeded expectations for performance and reliability, especially when the torrential rains started. “In our trials, the Dell Rugged gear left the competition far behind. Other tablets failed in the first rainfall, but the Dell devices kept working,” he says, noting that their IP65 rated enclosures kept the rainwater out the same way they do dust, smoke and other particulates. “Several times, the Dell Rugged units were submerged in fast-flowing rivers — at times, for more than 40 minutes at depths more than two meters — and they worked fine after we dried them out.”

Heaword found it even more impressive when the Dell Rugged devices booted up after they were buried in the mud of a jungle riverbank when opposing forces prompted him and his team to evacuate their position unexpectedly. He explains, “We returned two days later. After we unearthed the Dell Rugged gear, we plugged one into a solar charger and it booted up after just five minutes.” This was vital because Heaword and his team were working off the grid. “It’s important to note that we operated units for 18 weeks totally off the grid and powered them remotely with solar chargers,” he says. “This is a key strategic point not only for military uses but also for disaster relief, scientific surveys and other off-grid situations.”

“The versatility and reliability of the Dell Rugged models eliminate the need to buy and support different gear to match the ambient requirements of diverse geographies.”

Steve Heaword
Former British serviceman and jungle warfare expert

Gloves-On, Multi-Touch Screen Operation
Another key feature of the Dell Rugged devices that Heaword found critical is one that didn’t work so well in other vendor devices. “The multi-touch screens of Dell Rugged laptops and tablets worked perfectly with our ballistic gloves on, even in the rain,” he says. “We could also use the tablets’ styluses whether their screens were wet or dry. And the tablets’ sturdy handles allowed us to use them one-handed and with gloves, too.”

At one point, the Dell Rugged devices were in a rucksack that fell more than 10 meters from the jungle canopy into the undergrowth below. Heaword reports that the laptops and tablets survived the fall just fine.

The importance of field trials can’t be overstated, in Heaword’s view. He says the design and engineering are a critical foundation for the durability and reliability of Dell Rugged devices. “When field conditions are unpredictable, you need to be able to count on technology like Dell Rugged to always work like it did for us — especially for command and control use cases,” Heaword explains. “The build quality of Dell Rugged devices is exceptional. We can count on them to serve for the duration of any BAF mission and for many more missions after.”

“The multi-touch screens of Dell Rugged laptops and tablets worked perfectly with our ballistic gloves on, even in the rain.”

Steve Heaword
Former British serviceman and jungle warfare expert

Recommended For Promotion
In his report for the DSTL, Heaword strongly recommended the Dell Rugged line of laptops, tablets and accessories for the BAF’s field use. In a phone interview, he adds that the Dell Rugged lineup of devices now offers new 5G capabilities that can improve command and control connectivity options with faster speeds and response times. “Any technology that can reduce data and communications latencies will enhance field visibility and team cohesion,” he says.

Summing up, Heaword explains that Dell Rugged solutions that perform and last for a much longer time in all types of extreme environments can save the BAF time, money and resources over the long term. “The BAF can use the same Dell Rugged laptops, tablets and accessories whether they’re in the Arctic, the tropics or at sea,” he says. “The versatility and reliability of the Dell Rugged models eliminate the need to buy and support different gear to match the ambient requirements of diverse geographies. Buying commercial devices may be cheaper upfront but can later result in failed units, high replacement costs and endangered personnel.”

“When field conditions are unpredictable, you need to be able to count on technology like Dell Rugged to always work like it did for us.”

Steve Heaword
Former British serviceman and jungle warfare expert

He also notes that the BAF have already deployed Dell Rugged devices at sea and in many hot spots worldwide, including previous operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. “Dell Technologies is the only IT company in the world to provide war-zone support,” Heaword concludes. “In the rare case that the BAF would need replacements, Dell can get them there, no matter how remote or dangerous the location.”

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