The Navy has a new tool – Sailor 2.1

When is the last time you tucked away your DVD, iPad, cell phone or TV instruction manual in the nearest junk drawer at home and couldn’t find it when you suddenly needed it? Are you like me and Google winds up being your first source when troubleshooting a problem?

Well, sailors in the fleet are enjoying a recently deployed technology, SAILOR 2.1, which allows sailors to simply download technical manuals to troubleshoot on board ship software and hardware operating systems according to an article in “Armed with Science”.

No more cumbersome technical manuals that cost the Department of Navy a pretty penny. SAILOR (SPAWAR Acquisition Integrated Logistics Online Repository –the Navy just loves acronyms), is leading the charge in assisting with fleet readiness, training and ensuring that all systems are operational prior to deploying.

Developed by the Navy’s Information Systems Dominance Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, and originally designed for sailors between the ages of 18 and 30 (oh well, guess that leaves me out), SAILOR provides a comprehensive interface that includes video streaming capabilities, and offers features such as “tech tube,” similar to You Tube, that allows sailors to download “how to” troubleshooting videos.

Sound complicated? Not really. SAILOR allows the fleet to complete training, trouble shoot ship operating systems and provides technical support from a live help desk, something that was not possible before. Additionally, sailors underway can exchange information with the SAILOR help desk through blogs and forums that rapidly decreases troubleshooting response time in getting systems fully operable while underway.

Today, sailors can ditch the cumbersome technical manuals and sign online to SAILOR 2.1 when needing assistance with trouble shooting.

I really, really like this whole idea –but, being a true believer in 2 of Murphy’s Laws (“Anything that can go wrong, will”, and “Nothing is easy”), I have a couple of questions. What do you do when something breaks down while you are in “radio silence” (communications blackout) mode? And doesn’t this present a juicy target for Chinese and Russian hackers? –I am sure the Navy has thought that out and the answers are probably classified. –Hopefully, anyway….

Watch the new SAILOR 2.1 video below!

Live Long and Prosper...