SOLDIER OF THE FUTURE HOW THE MILITARY IS PLANNING FOR THE WARS OF TOMORROW

New York Post ^ | May 23, 2009 | Sharon Weinberger

[myknowledge]

What do you think of Future Soldier 2030?

To me, this soldier looks like a cross between a Star Wars Imperial trooper and Iron Man.

[GeronL]

and Janet Napolitano wants us to be declared enemies of the state....

[Rodebrecht]

“Smart drugs?” I don’t like the sound of that. Seems like something they’d use to turn them into obedient, mindless killing machines that they could use against the civilian US population. Just sayin’. Also, why does the article assume we’ll still be in wars of occupation where soldiers patrol market places looking for insurgents?

[R. Scott]

It's the year 2030. As a soldier enters a crowded marketplace, sensors mounted on his helmet automatically scan faces in the crowd, identifying a known insurgent...

Preparing for the last war once again. Have a very small, expensive specialized force and hope we don't get involved in a conventional war. I wonder how well the stun gun will work through light cover like a thin wall.

[myknowledge]

Combination of Robocop and Terminator.

It’s ideal for a counterinsurgency mission, maybe ideal for sappers.

[myknowledge]

Or just a paramilitary cop.

This type of soldier won’t be suitable for a conventional war unless it is a spec ops type.

[myknowledge]

Imagine them having blue helmets and UN insignia. Now that'll be creepy.

[Sacajaweau]

So, what does the “hunted” have?? We’re still battling the IED...a relatively simple device in the art of war but oh so deadly.

[R. Scott]

I can see it as the official daily wear uniform for members of the BATF.

[knarf]

[mikeus_maximus]

Master Chief, Spartan 117

[myknowledge]

Or the UN Commando Division.

[knarf]

More frightening ... the civilian security force.

Remember ... zero DID say that there should be an equally or better armed/prepared force other than our military.

I believe storm troopers are already in training.

The "Bigdog" (above) is on youtube, which is down for maintenance right now .... quite impressive.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

How can they afford to plan for a future war when they can’t pay for the one they’re fighting? There’s a squadron out there right now that can’t afford a simple $100 external hard drive!

[myknowledge]

Whoa!

Then they have no choice but to pay for it out of their pockets.

[myknowledge]

Looks like a Nazi SS stormtrooper plus 100 years and on steroids!

[DieHard the Hunter]

> What do you think of Future Soldier 2030?

I have seen this before... in 1971 (or was it 1973?). It was a Popular Science article, called “Our Big Vietnam Goof”.

The essence of the article was that the war in Vietnam was lost because of a high reliance on expensive technology, whereas the enemy was able to make good use of inexpensive weapons and tactics that were just as deadly.

It would seem that the war planners haven’t learned a thing in the past 40 years. Asymmetric warfare is jolly expensive and complicated: particularly if you throw technology at it.

How much are each of these exo-skeletoned warriors going to cost to equip? $100,000? More likely $1,000,000 would be my guess, but let’s say it’s $500,000. How much does an IED cost? $15 perhaps? $100 to make a super-delux IED, maybe?

There will come a point, soon, where the enemy can get enough cost leverage that those sorts of tech-wars will be impossibly expensive to fight. They almost are, now.

So what do I think of the Future Soldier 2030? I think someone ought to send an accountant into the Pentagon and pull the plug.

[knarf]

Bigdog

[wally_bert]

OR.....

[knarf]

Hmmmm ... veddy INteresting