September 30, 2007: The U.S. Department of Defense is equipping some of its older equipment (vehicles and aircraft) with sensor systems, like those found in current automobiles, that will monitor key components, and store the data. Periodically, mechanics will plug the sensor system into a laptop, retrieve performance data, and pass it on to a master database. This data can then be analyzed to predict which vehicles, or complex components (like aircraft engines) are likely to breakdown, and need some dedicated attention immediately. This is another case of the military adapting a technology which has already proven itself in the commercial world. This technology is particularly useful in wartime, when equipment is being used more heavily, and breakdowns are more likely to occur.