[oh_snap]

Originally Posted by Cheater5

And you state this based on all your experience as part of a limited user test fielding new systems?

The "old guy" DOES have a lot of experience, and knows what he's talking about. These systems go through dozens of iterations that need to be tested, and that far-out exoskeleton ain't ready for prime time, dude. Weight is ALWAYS an issue, as is power generation.

What worked in a lab or controlled environment in that YouTube video you're basing your statement on isn't ready to be crammed into a CH47 and flown up to 6000 feet on a mountain top in AFG. You see, that fecking awesome exoskeleton weighs a lot, and a platoon of those weigh even more. The air is really thin, and the weight of every piece of kit is taken into consideration- or the helicopter crashes.

So I'm wearing my kickass super suit/exoskeleton; how will I fit in my Stryker, or MRAP now? Oh, shit...I don't fit anymore with all this stuff on. Or, maybe only three of us fit out of nine in my squad, which means more vehicles to carry the rest of my men, which means more fuel to move, etc.

How is this thing going to be powered? How will I recharge my suit on a week or two week patrol away from an operating base? How noisy is this thing? Is it going to be cooled somehow? It gets hot in the desert and jungle...

If your answer is "they've thought of all that, and I'm sure they're working on it"...well, I'm here to tell you- NO, 'they' haven't. What happens is they throw this stuff at units, and tell them to use, break, carry it in combat. I've been that guy, and it sucks.

Bottom line, NOTHING comes off the shelf ready to go- this HALO suit will cause a lot of pain before it even comes close to that video.

Whoa! I don't think anyone here is honestly saying that these "suits" are ready yet. But these are the beginnings. The development of them, like all tech, is exponential AND excelerating. That is something I don't think that old guy understands. As nano-tech and bio-technologies continue to develope and advance, its only a matter of time until both merge in creating what will be "super soldiers".