New Rockwell Collins GPS unit can be worn on wrist

You might call it “GI Joe meets Dick Tracy.”

Rockwell Collins on Monday unveiled its new MicroDAGR hand-held global positioning system receiver, a unit small enough to be worn on a soldier's wrist, attached to a lanyard or carried in a pocket.

But unlike Dick Tracy's 2-Way Wrist TV, the fully functional version of the company's popular DAGR (Defense Advance GPS Receiver) also comes equipped with a camera, vibration alert and an MP3 player.

Rockwell Collins, which has delivered more than 300,000 DAGR units and more than 1.5 million accessories to the military, unveiled its latest creation during the Association of the United States Army annual meeting & Exposition in Washington.

The Cedar Rapids-based company said the MicroDAGR marries the best commercial technologies with the durability and security needed to meet military requirements and battlefield conditions.

Designed in response to feedback from soldiers in the field, The units will provide soldiers with real-time position, navigation, moving maps and timing information on a full-color touch screen display.

The MicroDAGR will allow soldiers to record images of the battlefield for review and analysis, listen to foreign language translations of important commands and phrases, and get silent alerts when they reach preprogrammed way points or danger areas.

Rockwell Collins said the first MicroDAGR units will be delivered in January. They will initially go to the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force.

“The MicroDAGR represents a major step forward in delivering a small, lightweight, easy-to-use GPS receiver to the military,” said Bruce King, vice president and general manager of surface solutions for Rockwell Collins. “We can't wait to get this innovative new system into the hands of our soldiers.”