Warfare technology was limited to swords and metal armors some thousand years ago. The modern warfare is laden with cutting edge technology and there is no doubt in that. But, the kind of armors that we see in science fiction movies and video games have not become a reality yet. Russia’s state-owned Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building (CRIPMB) has created a concept powered exoskeleton Ratnik-3 with ballistic protection and HUD helmets.
Warfare tools should be scary but the advancements are exciting as well, and many of us look forward to it. The ones that we so commonly see in the games are way ahead of what we can realistically achieve, but the Russian concept calls for an exoskeleton with a built-in armor plating. The Ratnik-3 concept is intended to increase the soldier’s strength and enable them to carry heavy loads with greater ease. The suit will also enhance the soldier’s stamina on the battlefield in addition to providing excellent ballistic protection from explosives and firearms.
Russia wants to equip all of their servicemen with the advanced Ratnik armor by 2020. The head of the Russian Land Force’s Military-Scientific Committee gave a statement in January 2017 and said.
“Almost every serviceman in the ground forces will be provided with Ratnik kits.”
The recent hype has “confirmed” that the Ratnik-3 is underway.
The armor is proposed to have 40 different components including firearms, armor, optical arrays, comms., and navigation devices along with life support and independent power supplies. The Ratnik-2 armors previously created have been successful in combating efficiency and survival rate while weighing only half as much as the Ratnik version. The Ratnik-3, however, comes with more advanced features instead of mere improvements. It integrates systems like built-in micro-climate support, health monitoring systems, biochemical tools, and exoskeleton additions with the suit.
The only question that remains is whether or not this is a hype or true depiction of the technology. Knowing the success of the Ratnik-1 and Ratnik-2 body suits that have managed to enhance combat efficiency with tools like modernized body armor, helmets, special eye monitors, and improved comms., these announcements do not sound very unreasonable or exaggerated stories. These existing suits protect 90 percent of the body using the GOST R 50744-95 Level V rated vests. Weighing around 7.5 kg, the armor can protect from a 39mm assault rifle rounds and 54mm sniper rounds. They have also proven to protect from repeated shots from varying calibers at a close range.
The Russian forces aim to produce 50,000 of Ratnik sets annually while 120,000 of these had been delivered by November of 2016. Estimates suggest that 70 percent of the Russian troops will be cladded in Ratnik armors by 2020. However, we can not say if any of these will be the Ratnik-3.
All these announcements may sound like a hoax in the current geopolitical climate but Russia is certainly not the only one working on these lines. The US itself is investing in a body armor similar to the Ratnik that have been under development for 4 years, and they call it the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS), the prototypes of which are expected to be delivered by 2018.
Some would like to think that the entire idea is a propaganda but the rate at which warfare technology is advancing, it sounds pretty believable.
Do you think that these battle suits will prove themselves to be fruitful? Share your views in the comments section below.
Source: Defense News