These requirements also compete for scarce resources, personnel, and training time. Notwithstanding all these complications, NLW do offer the promise of reduced casualties in many situations. In addition to discussions of generic technologies and capabilities, the workshop discussed some specific technologies that are either being currently fielded or presently under development. When the soldier gets within a preprogrammed distance from the border, the system alerts him with a beeping signal. Other warning and distress features can also be programmed into the system.
Additional applications are communication with and tracking of individuals, vehicles, and so on.
This prototype system uses infra-red sensors to track the heat of a sniper's bullet back to point of origin. The system can be coupled with an automatic response that either shoots back along the bullet track to the point of origin or illuminates the sniper. Operators were particularly interested in this technology, especially in urban environments. The complex ROE issues involved were also discussed in some depth. It can distinguish between people, metal, people carrying metal, etc.