Dow Corning helps Army develop high-tech battle suit

AP ^ | 8/25/2003

[presidio9]

Call it Superman meets the Terminator meets Predator meets Universal Soldier. A futuristic battle suit being designed by Dow Corning, the U.S. Army and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology would, among other advantages, give soldiers the ability to leap tall walls with a single bound, blend in to various backgrounds with the push of a button and repel bullets.

[dirtboy]

The fabric also would have the ability to become rigid to repel a bullet. It also would seal to guard against attacks with chemical or biological agents. Other features include vital sign monitors, artificial muscles that would allow soldiers to jump walls and a mechanical exoskeleton enabling the soldier to carry up to 300 pounds with little effort.

Yeah, but will it be wrinkle-free?

[Blood of Tyrants]

And can we get it in something besides OD?

[ctlpdad]

i bet is still has a ton of irish pennants, too. pty the guy standing inspection with all those. ugh.

[ClearCase_guy]

Jean-Louis "Dutch" De Gay

I'm thinking he tried to go for the nickname "Butch" but couldn't pull it off, so had go with "Dutch" instead.

[UCANSEE2]

The best thing they could add would be AC.

[Outlaw76]

I wonder if they will call them 'Gorrilla Suits'?

Those bugs had best be on the lookout for Rico's Roughnecks...

[presidio9]

You saying there's something less manly about the nickname "Dutch?

[CatoRenasci]

Ah, soon we will really have Mobile Infantry ala Starship Troopers.

[dts32041]

Sounds more like scouts, than gorillias.

[dogbrain]

"...enabling the soldier to carry up to 300 pounds with little effort."

GOOD!

Now he'll be able to hump that new OICWS POS...

[Ex-Dem]

Halo, anyone?


"And stay down!!!"

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[steve in DC]

Like this guy!

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Actually, Heinlein's grunts had some sweet gear in ...

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

Those bugs had best be on the lookout for Rico's Roughnecks...

Roughnecks! That was on the tip of my tongue when I posted #14 above

[rageaholic]

I see a very useful potential spinoff to enable wheelchair bound people to walk. Military technology has a way of making itself useful well beyond its original purpose.

[LJPenney]

So--why even use men at all??? Let's just create an army of robots! (Kinda Star Wars like.)

[rageaholic]

Its already happening with UAVs. Eventually the human will be removed from the battle suit.

[.cnI redruM]

Not quite starship troopers yet. The suit is too light on the armor because it lacks 'waldoes' to enhance human limb power, but it will internalize all the electronics from hand-held and weapon mounted equipment by weaving them into the uniform itself and help aclimatize soldiers to a wider range of environmental conditions.

[CholeraJoe]

Yawn. Heinlein thought this up in 1959's "Starship Troopers." He also described the "heads-up display" currently found in fighter aircraft.

[montag813]

The big question: WHAT WILL POWER IT???

It MUST be nuclear, or wouldn't last more than an hour or so in battle. And it would be hard to find an outlet to rechange the damn thing in the desert.

[ClearCase_guy]

I can't say very much about the power supply. It's not nuclear. Power packs are being manufactured in Roswell, NM and use a technology not previously seen on Earth.

[Nachum]

Remember what happened to the soldiers in Starship Troopers when the suit ran out of power? They became frozen in place like a statue.

[Alas Babylon!]

Why not use the movement of the soldier to make power? Sort of like a kenetic watch.

[ArrogantBustard]

Why not use the movement of the soldier to make power?

Because such a suit would be no more powerful than the knight errant soldier wearing it. The idea is to augment the soldier.

[Servant of the Nine]

Ah, soon we will really have Mobile Infantry ala Starship Troopers.

Yep, soon a platoon if US soldiers will be able to take on brigade or division size conventional forces.
Of course their gear will cost more than a conventional divisions too.

When the current equipment upgrade is finished in '07 we will be nearing $100,000 per infantryman for standard issue combat loadout.

So9

[dts32041]

Cause someone is going to have to put muddy boots on the ground with their pink bod.

Classwork assignment, Warbots series Author HG Stine.

Carry on

[montag813]

Remember what happened to the soldiers in Starship Troopers when the suit ran out of power? They became frozen in place like a statue.

Which is what will happen within an hour or two unless we use nuclear. But enviro wackos will not allow it.

[pabianice]

[pabianice]

[Gunslingr3]

Now he'll be able to hump that new OICWS POS...

Ummm, the OICWS is supposed to be 6lbs lighter than an M-16 equipped with a grenade launcher...

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[Gunslingr3]

So--why even use men at all??? Let's just create an army of robots! (Kinda Star Wars like.)

MIT is already working with the grant money. They're creating a completely distributed wireless network of ground rovers (essentially computer controlled 4-wheelers) with several stacks of remotely or computer controlled arial vehicles as additional weapons platforms/spotters. All of them capable of serving as routers within the network to handle bandwith and distribute traffic. Any one can be lost without impairing the network. Some kid will be sitting with a controller in Tampa making the final call about whether to pull the trigger.

[Gunslingr3]

So--why even use men at all??? Let's just create an army of robots! (Kinda Star Wars like.)

MIT is already working with the grant money. They're creating a completely distributed wireless network of ground rovers (essentially computer controlled 4-wheelers) with several stacks of remotely or computer controlled arial vehicles as additional weapons platforms/spotters. All of them capable of serving as routers within the network to handle bandwith and distribute traffic. Any one can be lost without impairing the network. Some kid will be sitting with a controller in Tampa making the final call about whether to pull the trigger.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Is it bear-proof?

[dogbrain]

I didn't know that.
here's some more reading on the subject

[Liberal Classic]

[Gunslingr3]

"Technical specs and accounting ledgers don't tell the whole story. In simulated combat, an OICW prototype showed the weapon's true potential. When the simulated hits were tallied, the virtual units firing M16s suffered 70 casualties. Those firing the OICWs saw only one soldier go down." link

Saw them playing with one on Ermey's Mail Call. They were showing off how the laser range finder lets the trooper put a 20mm explosive round through a window and put holes in the guys hiding inside. Works the same way 'around' corners and walls. Bad ass.

[The Black Knight]

http://www.geocities.com/ihatetherainforest/FBOS.jpg

Are there any fallout fans in the building?

[Aric2000]

THAT was fascinating book, very philisophical as well as science fiction.

[Saturnalia]

Too busy hiding in the bunker.
Damn deathclaws :D

[MikeD]

That's all I have to say about it...

MD

[WOSG]

The big question: WHAT WILL POWER IT???

---

Methanol-power fuel cells would have the highest power to weight ratio.

[The Black Knight]

Deathclaws? Come on, a Vindicator or Avenger would do the job, but I always liked the Power Armor with the Turbo Plasma Rifle. When the army gets stuff like that, i may reconsider that as a walk of life. Maybe I'll get into the Brotherhood after the Bomb.

:D

[Liberal Classic]

Definately one of my all time favorites. A lot of people didn't like the Jack Crow chapters, but I don't think it would be the same book without them. It's interesting to compare Armor and Starship Troopers. Despite the obvious similarities in setting they are polar opposites on many different levels. I may have to write a book report to myself. :)

[Maigrey]

I was trying to find an image of the "Big Metal Unit" from Baldur's Gate II, but I can't locate it yet.

[Aric2000]

LOL, indeed, Armour was fascinating, and it would be missing something without the Jim Crow chapters in it.

I will have to read it again, I just reread Starship troopers for the thousandth time it seems last week.

I will have to search my bookshelf for Armour, I know it's there, because I saw it the other day.

I like Starship Troopers better, but I am a HUGE Heinlein fan, have 95% of his books, missing a few of the older less in print ones, but I will find them...

[Saturnalia]

Bah, give me a spinfusor any day of the week.
Tribes=ROCK

[TexasRepublic]

Show me a bulletproof suit, and I'll pop that balloon. Better living through superior ballistics.