Future Force Warrior

Categories: Future American weapons

Future Force Warrior is the name of a U.S. military initiative, part of the Future Combat Systems project. It hopes to develop lightweight, overwhelmingly lethal, fully integrated individual combat systems within the next decade.

The Future Force Warrior program consists of two phases. The first phase involves a deployment of a uniform in 2010, and the second phase involves the deployment of a more advanced version of the uniform integrating Nanotechnology, Exoskeletons and Liquid body armor in 2020. The suit will be powered by a 2- to 20- watt microturbine generator fueled by a liquid hydrocarbon. A plug-in cartridge containing 10 ounces of fuel can power the soldier's uniform for up to six days. Battery patches embedded in the helmet provide three hours of back-up power.

Basic Features

Liquid body armor

Scientists are working on a new type of armor consisting of magnetorheological (MR) fluids. MR fluids change from a liquid to a solid when applied to an electrical charge or magnetic field in seconds. A suitable type of MR fluid is small iron particles suspended in silicon oil. The silicon oil is used to make it more liquid, and to stop the iron from rusting. When an electrical charge or magnetic field is applied to it, the particles stack on top of each other, creating a strong solid shield. The MR fluid will fill pockets in the suit, and the electric current will be controlled by an onboard computer. MIT scientists say it will take 5 to 10 years to develop a bullet-proof MR fluid.

Physiological monitoring system

This is a layer of the suit that monitors the wearer's physiological condition, e.g. heart rate, blood pressure, etc. This relays the information to medics and field commanders.

Helmet

The helmet will feature a voice-activated drop-down screen to access information without having to put down weapons. The screen will be embedded in transparent glasses, which will appear to the soldier as a 17 inch screen. The screen will provide maps and real-time videos provided by satellite, aircraft, or a forward-positioned scout team. The physiological monitoring system will also provide information to the screen, so that soldiers can view their own physiological status. The helmet also includes a GPS device, allowing them (and the commander) to see the positions of their fellow soldiers. The communication technology allows the soldiers to communicate without the need of an external microphone. The helmet sense vibrations in the cranial cavity, which will also control the voice-activated screen.

Exoskeleton

The exoskeleton consists of tiny nanobots that mimic muscle movement, giving the soldier 25-35% more strength. The exoskeleton attached to the lower body can provide the soldier with a whopping 300% more strength, probably used for faster running.

Popular culture

A glimpse of this project will be seen during the release of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 3 video game, expected to be released this Fall of 2005 on the PC and the new generation console, Xbox 360.