What is Blue Force Tracking?

Many people are familiar with GPS Tracking technology and applications in the consumer market. What people probably don’t know about is Blue Force Tracking. So what is it?

Blue Force Tracking (also commonly known as BFT) is a US Military term that describes a GPS Tracking System, providing the military command with location data about its forces and assets.

Why the colour Blue? In NATO Military symbology the color blue is used to identify friendly forces.

Blue Force Tracking systems essentially combine the use of Computers, Satellites and hand held GPS receivers. The GPS receivers are carried by personnel (or Blue Personnel if you like) or fixed to Military assets. These receivers then transmit data, on a regular basis, via the network of satellites that orbit the earth and send the information back to a central command post.

The central command post will then have computers than can interpret the GPS location data and output it to a map overlay on a screen. This gives the command post a very good idea as to the location of a vehicle, asset or personnel which means that in the event of a crisis or high risk situation they can react very quickly in deploying teams to the exact last recorded location that the GPS Tracking device recorded.

Blue Force Tracking Solutions are not only able to send location information back to a central command post, but can also be used as a communications platform. For example text messages, both containing images and text can be sent back to the command post and Blue Force Tracking systems are able to report the locations of enemy forces. This is particularly useful for strategy when it comes to planning routes via potential threats such as damaged bridges, mine fields etc)

Blue Force Tracking Solutions will continue to be improved and developed to ensure the continued safety of military personnel and the protection of assets that cost millions of dollars. It’s no exaggeration when people say that this precision technology plays such a huge part in saving lives of Blue Force Personnel and there is absolutely no doubt that with it in place, lives are saved.