US Air Force Buying PS3s

Could they be hoping to provide entertainment for airmen on duty in remote locations? Maybe they’re thinking of teaching future pilots some basic tactics via video games. Both guesses are actually quite wrong. The United States Air Force is looking to pick up 300 of Sony’s consoles for their raw processing power. We’ve seen the PS3 used to aid in medical research through the ‘Folding At Home’ project and the computing power the consoles possess when networked together is quite impressive. Somebody in the Air Force has picked up on this, and they’re requistioning these units to test out the cell processor and test out its potential in military applications. Today’s military relies a lot on data and the ability to process it. Satellites have replaced spies and GPS systems ensure effective targeting. It’s a battle of technology, as warfare has always been since warriors with bronze tools proved their mettle against stone-age cultures. Some of the more nerdy amongst us might harbor secret hopes that they’re buying all these to make a new Stargate dialing computer.