Tech : Soldier Spends Own Money to Develop Military iPhone App

Captain Jonathan J. Springer reached into his own pockets to produce the $26,000 needed to develop a new iPhone app, one specifically designed for American soldiers battling the Taliban. The 31-year-old soldier worked with programmers to bring his idea of a navigation and targeting app to life. The result, called 'Tactical Nav,' should soon be available in the iTunes App Store for $0.99. The app allows soldiers to snap photos of waypoints, and plot them on a map. These reference photos and coordinates can then be sent to other units to coordinate attacks and artillery fire. The app can be used not only to direct artillery, but also to call in helicopter support.

Captain Springer has been testing his app in various situations and with several different types of vehicles and posts in order to ensure it's ready for combat. The officer told the Herald Sun that most soldiers have smartphones on the battlefield, but the capabilities of those devices are not being fully utilized. The military is looking into using smartphones for battle, but Captain Springer decided to jumpstart that effort by taking matters into his own hands. The app is currently awaiting approval from Apple, but, once it's approved, Captain Springer may start work on an iPad edition. Looks like Android device-toting soldiers will be left out in the cold.