Stormtrooper 2017

Russia shows off hi-tech motorised armour for its soldiers

LIKE something off the set of the latest Star Wars movie, this motorised combat suit is expected to transform warfare for soldiers of the future.

The Russian creators of the prototype military outfit claim it could be used on the battlefield in just a few years.

It features a titanium exoskeleton that uses battery-powered motors to give infantry troops greater stamina and superhuman strength so they can carry heavier loads.

Sensors will monitor the wearer’s vital signs and transmit the data and map reference back to HQ, while the helmet has a range finder and other optical devices in its visor. It will also include breathing apparatus to protect against a chemical attack.

The armour is being designed to withstand repeated bullet strikes, according to developers at Russian weapons lab the Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building. The boots will be able to detect landmines and improvised explosive devices, and will block any remote-controlled signals from the enemy to detonate them.

Oleg Chikarev, the institute’s deputy chief of weapons systems, said: ‘We’re working on a concept for the combat suit of the future.’

Unveiling the suit at Moscow’s National University of Science and Technology, he added: ‘On display is our vision of the suit we would like to develop within the next couple of years. We’re also working with companies specialising in combat equipment and we’re creating the features which, in our opinion, will help our soldiers carry out their missions on the battlefield.’

Last year, the Russian military said robots and cyborgs would gradually replace human soldiers.

The new combat suit is intended to bridge the gap before that technology is developed.

Colonel General Oleg Salyukov, chief commander of Russian ground forces, said: ‘The combat suit will be an entirely new level in terms of protection, shooting, life support, control and power support.’

Superhuman strength