US Army tests digital battlefield maps but troops cling to paper copies
During a Project Convergence Capstone drill at Fort Irwin, soldiers evaluated new digital mapping tools while insisting on keeping physical maps as a backup.
At Fort Irwin, California, the US Army’s Project Convergence Capstone trialed roughly 100 emerging technologies, among them the Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) digital map application. Soldiers used a Samsung phone to track friendly forces, with Capt. Mohamed Elmaola reporting enhanced real-time targeting feedback during an urban assault scenario. Despite the digital advantages, Elmaola kept an analog map, arguing it offered a complete picture in degraded electromagnetic environments caused by jamming.
Other troops echoed this sentiment, using paper maps for familiarity and as a fallback if digital links failed. Senior officers, including Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis and Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner of the Army Joint Modernization Command, emphasized that system performance feedback and individual comfort with technology will shape future deployments.
Why it matters
The test highlights the balance between cutting-edge digital tools and reliable analog methods for soldiers in contested environments.
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