The future US Soldier

[Farnan]

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

http://science.howstuffworks.com/ffw.htm

2020, 10 years after I commission. Damn I'll be field grade (hopefully) by then and won't get to play with it much.

[The Sundance Kid]

Are video games extremely good at predicting new military advances, or do the US government simply base them off video games to save time?

My first thought as I looked at the picture was, 'Its like the clones in Episode II, and eventually these guys will turn into stormtroopers. Day-am.'

[Farnan]

Are video games extremely good at predicting new military advances, or do the US government simply base them off video games to save time?

My first thought as I looked at the picture was, 'Its like the clones in Episode II, and eventually these guys will turn into stormtroopers. Day-am.'

This project has been public for years now, likely video game designers are designing future soldiers off that.

[Silver Guard]

It looks like BF 2142 copy-cat to me, or vice versa, you never know with these things. Many of the features I recognise off a "The future warrior" documentary.

[The Sundance Kid]

I'm pretty sure that all these concepts are from the same ilk; its not exactly an original design, just a futuristic-type suit all in black. The fabric and technological advances will of course be different and far more complex, but I just feel that its the same old design I've seen since I started playing games in 1994

Im not saying it wont work, its probably revolutionary. Im just aesthetically displeased, lol.

[Farnan]

It will have cammo, but putting it in all black enabled you to see what it will generaly look like and give it the futuristic look that draws public attention.



The version slated to be out in 2010. The equipment is being developed in stages.

Sorry for the double post.

[The Sundance Kid]

Well thats the military of any country for you -- 'This is our revolutionary technology when it looks cool...aaaand, this is real life.' *Shinguard falls off and the shoulder padding spontaneously bursts into flame*

Well, I can honestly say the UK has got **** all on that, so I'll commend your country on their ingenuity.






But ours'll look cooler. Losers. Mwahahaha.

[Farnan]

Naa, it'll work just won't look as cool. And then you Brits and Canadians will borrow our gear...

My sergeant was in Afghanistan at Operation Anaconda and was replaced with the Canadians (he says good things about them). He ended up giving up his desert boots and holding a collection to gather equipment to give to the Canadians since the Canadians lacked the equipment they need for the operation.

[TheKwas]

I'm still waiting for the mechsuits from Starship troopers. Those babies would be fun.

[The Sundance Kid]

Sounds like a bit of a legend to me...

Personally, though, I don't know why countries send their troops to different climates without the right gear, TBH its a travesty. The indigenous troops will know their weather and conditions so well, and on top of that disadvantage our troops don't even get proper equipment. Pah.

[Farnan]

Naa, not a legend. It is common knowledge the British and the Canadians borrow equipment. Primarily it is due to their countries sending them off to war while lowering the military budget... or even lowering the military budget for years prior, sending them off to war without raising the budget and hoping everything goes well.

[TheKwas]

It's common practice in any military coalition to share equipment. Right now the Canadians are using German tanks in Kandahar because Canadian tanks are not made for desert warfare (no good air conditioning) and Humvees the Canadians were using before are becoming less and less safe due to the Taliban making more powerful bombs.

[The Sundance Kid]

The british rifles clogged up in the sandstorms and hot weather of iraq; why didnt they check that first?! Lives couldve been saved for ****'s sake.

Sorry, I just get annoyed with things like that. Simple things.

[Farnan]

Its called fighting a war on the cheap...

Well let's get back on topic before this gets sent to the Mudpit.

[The Sundance Kid]

Yeah, sorry, I drifted a bit

Overall, I don't think it'll stop a bullet, but it'll svae you from a clip, methinks. Like i said before, better than anything we've got over here.

[Farnan]

I'm pretty sure it'll stop a bullet as the current body armor stops up to 7.62mm (AK-47 round), thus it'll be a step back if this one doesn't.

[William the Bastard]

@ TMWNN - Are the US military still shelving the dragon skin body armour design or is this model using it?

[Farnan]

Dragon skin is permanently shelved. It failed the Army's testing requirements.

While calling the failure of his vest to stop a round on the second shot of the Army test a "once in a while" occurrence, Neal denied Army claims that a dozen more rounds penetrated his Dragon Skin vests

I'd say once in a while is far too often for me...

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/...138277,00.html

[William the Bastard]

I'd say once in a while is far too often for me...

Ditto. At least there are some people out there thinking up new ideas for making a soldier bullet proof. Maybe one day they will crack it. Only problem then is that someone else will be competing against them in making a weapon that penetrates it and so the cycle goes on and on.

I do like the concepts of a future general having the ability to see 3D models on a computer of where all his soldiers are. Kinda takes it back to Napoleonic warfare in an odd way. For a soldier on the ground to have a computer eye patch that gives him all available info he may need will be such a morale booster not to mention help win a fight.

The only problem with too much tech I can see is that if it all goes down in a blackout or electronic attack etc then the soldier may feel vulnerable. Put a mechanical machine in the hands of a man he can work it, give it to a computer it WILL break down at some point.

[Gary88]

Dragon skin is permanently shelved. It failed the Army's testing requirements.

how did it fail?!? it looked awesome