So, I was thinking last night -what will the soilder of the future look like? This is what I invision (I should do a sketch).

20 Years into the Future:

I think the main advancement will be a form of "powered armor". They already have a sort of device that a person basically walks in. They strap in and it allows them to carry more gear. I think this will be refined and more and more troops will use them. I see this as being the new "Heavy Trooper" of the infantry.

Deployment:
Imagine this, a device you basically strap into, and when you walk it walks with you under power. It would allow a soilder to carry 200lbs of gear. For long or fast humps, there would be a function where the device wouldnt require leg muscles to walk. Meaning if one had to move 10 miles, one could just hit auto pilot, allowing the soilder to run the 10miles, with out exerting any of his own energy, thus having fresh troops. And troops that can easily outpace the enemy. AND troops that could trasnverse just about any sort of terrain.If a soilder gets wouned in the leg, as long as the armor is in tact, he could still move to fight or retreat.

Protection:
With the power armor, one could add more armor for the trooper. Advances in body armor should be leaps and bounds by 2026. It should be light and protect the major areas of the trooper and power unit, with out hindering dexterity. Anything short of a .50cal should be stopped 80% of the time.

Helmet:
A helmet that can actually stop small arms fire reliably, with a full face mask. The mask would also have a HUD unit that would be linked to the fire control of his rifle. HUD/Face plate could be removed if needed.

Weapon:
With the power unit, the soilder could carry more armorment, heavier weapons, and more ammo. The standard trooper would have a .30cal machine gun. This could be belt fed via ammo cannisters on the back. Anyone see Aliens? See the large machine guns mounted on steady cam arms? A similar mechanism would be devloped. This would allow the user to hold a steadier aim under fire and reduce fatigue in the field. While there will be optic/iron sights for back up, primarily it will have a fire control device, using technology that allows the trooper to see crosshairs on his HUD. This would adjust for elevation and perhaps windige.

Replacing the SAW would be a Heavy Gunner. This would untilize a new hybrid round, approximately .40 cal, and sized between a .30-06 and  .50BMG. This would allow extra penatration of hard targets, and still allow the trooper to carry enough rounds to be effective.

Communications:
Of course this will all be linked together. From GPS to wireless communications. Troopers can give orders to each other no matter where they are on the battle field, allowing unprecedented tactics and movement. Video links can be fed back to a central command, allowing LTs to help direct the action. Extra cameras could literally give troopers eyes in the back of their heads. Think about all the advances they are putting into the new F22 and F35 weapons systems with the new HUDS and Visor HUDs for the pilots. Similar technology could be used for the trooper.

Recon:
Use a telescoping pole from your back pack to peek over  a hill, or poke around the corner. Send report "spider droids" to scout out a room. The  military already uses some robots, and they will just use even more in 20 years. These will be directed by and work in tandem with these new heavy troopers.

Medic!:
Now I didnt make this up, but I have already seen concepts where medics can basically strap in a soilder and then run back behind lines to treat him. So these power suits can have a non-combat role too.

Too much reliance on technology?
We are learning from Iraq. We need troops that are fast, mobile, and hit hard. They are often in tight spots and need to be attiquitely protected. This conviguration would change the face of urban warefare, as well as in the field.  Of corse, the soilder is not married to the unit. If it malfunctioned, he can quicly detatch and escape. The rifle and a belt would be removeable (or perhaps a standard 5.56mm rifle would be on the back for such a case). An option to destroy the device so it didnt fall in to enemy hands. The soilder would still retain the main parts of body armor.

Look at the future:
Robots are the next big thing. Just as computers went from the Apple IIe to Big Blue, robots are going to go from Asimov to somthing else. They are already extremely dexterous and its only going to be more so in 20 years. I dont know if we will see "I Robot" any time soon, but I bet we will be calling our grandkids to help us get our robotic lawnmowers to stop flashing 12:00.

Mobile, fast, hard hitting, and accurate. Just some of my visions. One of the possible future threats is China. While I dont honestly think we would ever have a ground war with them, in the event, they do out number us. Giving our soilders the ability for one of them to have the same fighting power of 10-20 of them will even the odds.

More likely our wars will be in Iran and Africa. With these new soilders, we can hit hard and fast with low loss of life. The better defence will lead in the ambush tactic to have less success than currently.

SciFi? Twighlight zone? I dunno - but it will be neat to see what we come up with.

I envision robots Like this one

Like Mech Warrior

<snip>
Medic!:
Now I didnt make this up, but I have already seen concepts where medics can basically strap in a soilder and then run back behind lines to treat him. So these power suits can have a non-combat role too.
<snip>

I can envision the suits being able to detect wounds and provide medical treatment as well.  Spraying clotting compounds, administering injections, stoping bleeding, securing fractures, stuff like that.

I imagine we will just send in lawdog.

What you are discussing is already in development.... very basic exoskeletons and load-bearing body frames.


Perfected?  No...

Being worked on?  Yes.


- BG

Quoted: What you are discussing is already in development.... very basic exoskeletons and load-bearing body frames. Perfected?  No... Being worked on?  Yes.

I know. I havent dreamed up anything new - I just think some of our dreams will be reality.

I have seen the load bearing exoskeletons, and they will only get better.

I envision this:

Quoted: I envision this: www.poyi.org/61/03/photos/61-03-HondC-06.jpg

Just for you, they can put a "skip" mode into the programming.

Like these-