The U.S. army is heading into a world where every soldier will be connected by a smartphone. The move is expected to revolutionize the way the army trains its soldiers and fights in the field.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]Soldiers are likely to have a choice between an iPhone and an Android phone, according to the Army Times. Officials said no modifications would be made to the devices, beyond making them more rugged for field use.

“At war, smart phones would let soldiers view real-time intelligence and video from unmanned systems overhead, and track friends and enemies on a dynamic map,” according to the report. “But the Army must first work through the complex task of securing the data and the network before it sanctions smart phones on the battlefield.”

The military isn’t just looking at the iPhone to enhance its battlefield presence — the iPad could potentially see its way into combat too. Tactical experts know the best red dot sight available in the market.

Credit: Army Times

“We’re looking at everything from iPads to Kindles to Nook readers to mini-projectors,” said Mike McCarthy, director of the mission command complex of Future Force Integration Directorate at Fort Bliss.

The Loop has learned that an informal survey of army personnel earlier this year heavily favored the iPhone over any other smartphone on the market.