After a successful attendance of the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in 2014, GSE made another appearance in Tampa on May 19–21, for SOFIC 2015. For three days, the Tampa Convention Center was filled with government and defense industry professionals, as they networked and discussed current and future challenges for supporting the special operations forces.
The immense exhibit hall was filled to capacity with 340 companies that featured new technologies and enhanced capability offerings, designed to support the present and future demands of the defense industry. A conference unlike others, it provided a very interactive representation of the use of the latest technologies by soldiers on and off the field. From weapons and tanks to canine vests and simulators, there was something for everyone to play; which didn’t stop our team from having a little fun themselves.
Hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association, SOFIC 2015 focused on advancing defense industry technology solutions worldwide, with the theme: “Winning in a Complex World”. Breakout sessions included discussions on the industry’s priorities, business opportunities, and desired capabilities. These open forums allowed conference attendees to interact with senior industry leaders, while providing input on topics and presenting possible solutions through innovative technology.
SOFIC was a great opportunity for the GSE team to get a firsthand look at the defense industry’s issues and challenges, determining how our engineering solutions can present as an opportunity for the many exhibitors and visitors in attendance. The many trends presented at SOFIC allowed the GSE team to review its portfolio and determine what enhancements can be implemented in order to continue to serve this industry at its full potential. The current demands for the special operations forces gave us an insight to the anticipated technology in the future.
Future demands of the warfighter include the need for an advanced, personalized tracking solution that is provided by hardware such as the GSatMicro. With an astonishing size and weight, the GSatMicro can be hidden and secured with minimal effort. With a 256 bit encryption [2], powerful scripting and device pairing capabilities, this device provides solutions for soldier tracking, vessel monitoring and everything in between.