The Air Force has announced an initial rollout of modernized commercial mobile technologies – CMT, focusing on BlackBerry replacement and executive users, with a distribution process set to enable about 5,000 Apple devices, contributing to a growing smartphone user base in the military services.
Major commands will be allowed to provision an accelerated amount of devices per month until their allocated licenses are used, and mobile device users should contact their MAJCOM Mobile point of contact to start the replacement process for their BlackBerry, according to the Air Force.
It said eventually all Air Force users would be required to transition off the legacy mobile solutions to an iOS device or approved smartphone or tablet.
“In order to keep costs down and save on network resources, BlackBerrys will be turned in and shut off once the user is transitioned to an iOS device,” said Brig General Kevin Wooton, Air Force Space Command director of communications. “Any new BlackBerry provisions beyond Jan. 1, 2014, will require a waiver from AFSPC/A6,” he added.
