BATMAN Is The Soldier Of The Future
Posted by Justin on September 17th, 2010We’ve long been a proponent of geek cultures vast importance over other pop culture products for one reason: geeks make things. Geeks see Star Trek communicators and build cell phones to look like them. Geeks see Star Wars light sabers and build real destructive lasers with awesome handles that receive cease and desist letters (since rescinded) from Lucasfilm.
And finally, geeks read about the super light, highly technological armor of Batman and build it for the Air Force.
Grappling hooks attached to siphon electricity from low-hanging power lines. Computers mounted onto a commando’s chest plate. Communications gadgets small enough to fit into gear pouches worn around the waist. The Air Force is actually preparing its special operators to act (and outfit themselves) more like the Batman.
Since 2004, the Air Force has worked to reduce the physical load of gear carried by its Special Operations Forces — the superheroes who seize hostile airfields and rescue captured troops behind enemy lines. Those airmen are often weighed down on these missions, lugging as much as 160 pounds worth of stuff. Since much of the bulk comes from their communications gear, the Air Force opted to cut out heavy batteries to power it, fueling the gear through methanol fuel cells that get lighter as the charge dies. That allows elite airmen to essentially wear their gear like a scaffold, a concept the Air Force calls a “Human Chassis.”
They even shoe-horned in a clumsy acronym to complete it! It’s officially called The Battlefield Air Targeting Man-Aided kNowledge.
Awesome.
[Wired]
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September 24th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Will they also be training with the monks like Batman?