The software framework is called the Mobile/Handheld Computing Environment, or CE. It guides application developers so the resulting code is secure, and will mesh with apps for other tactical systems, such as air support, logistics and armor, according to a .

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Originally created by MITRE, the technology is now being refined at the Army's Software Engineering Directorate in Huntsville, Ala., in conjunction with the other JBC-P systems.

A goal of the project is to free up developers to create capabilities that can work across these different systems, to avoid the traditional problem of "stovepipe" -- an application that provides a specific set of functions for the user, but can't work cooperatively with other .

A development kit will be released publicly in July 2011. Currently the Army is refining what it dubs "Mission Command Apps," which include mapping, tactical ground reporting and critical messaging among the group of mission command systems.