Dow Corning helps Army develop high-tech battle suit

AP ^ | 8/25/2003

[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?