Why Russian Military Exoskeletons Are Not Science Fiction

By: David Hambling

As another U.S. attempt to build Iron Man-style powered armor crashes and burns, some commentators conclude that military exoskeletons will always be science fiction. However, while the average G.I. is not going to be Tony Stark anytime

The Russian exoskeletons, known as Ratnik (“Warrior”) combat suits, are built the Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building, known by its Russian abbreviation of TSNIITOCHMASH, part of defense giant ROSTEC. The initial version of Ratnik an unpowered exoskeleton which takes the load off the soldier and is claimed to allow them to carry out prolonged marches and assaults while carrying over as hundred pounds.

Unpowered or passive exoskeletons take the weight off the wearer and use springs or other devices to store and release energy. They are already being introduced in small numbers in the automotive industry where they are claimed to reduce the number of back and shoulder industries, decrease fatigue and increase productivity. Because they do not require a power supply, they do not suffer from many of the complex technical challenges of powered armor suites like the failed TALOS – and they do not leave the wearer stranded with dead batteries after a few hours.

“The main challenge consists in choosing materials for exoskeletons. They should be both durable and light,” TSNIITOCHMASH CEO Albert Bakov told Forbes. Bakov was not able to provide details, but other sources suggest the current version made of a carbon fiber composite.

While Bakov believes that powered version will ultimately be possible, he does not think current technology is up to the job.

“A battery of the required capacity and size has not been developed yet,” Bakov says simply.

An early version of the Ratnik exoskeleton, known as EO-1, has undergone extensive testing –including being used by combat engineers in the field in Syria in 2017. Ironically enough, this was needed because of the weight of Russian electronics carried by operators using the Uran-6 mine clearance robot.

“Uran-6 operators have to carry a heavy command and control console on their chest,” says Samuel Bendett, adviser to the think tank CNA’s Russia program, who specializes in Russian unmanned military systems. The control box weighs over forty pounds, but with the aid of the exoskeleton operators were able to move around at a fast walk without difficulty, and could sit or lie down and get up without undue effort.

“The exoskeleton was perfect stop-gap measure to field right away to meet the warfighter’s demand,” says Bendett.

The exoskeleton is said to be completely intuitive to use. It only takes a couple of minutes to put on, and can be shed instantly with a quick release. According to one source, it costs about $3,500 per unit. In addition to carrying heavy equipment, the exoskeleton can also act as a weapons mount.

“The design of the exoskeleton with the ‘third hand’ ensures possibility of using heavier and more powerful weapons, such as a machine gun, with one hand,” says Bakov.

Fans of Aliens will immediately recognize the similarity with the harness-mounted M56 Smartgun squad machinegun, and the concept is just the same. Russian troops with unpowered exoskeletons will be able to carry and fire heavier weapons, with a greater load of ammunition, than opponents who lack the technology.

Bendett says that Russian developers have come up with various imaginative scheme for augmenting the exoskeleton, adding everything from chameleon camouflage to micro-drones. A third-generation version known as Sotnik (“Centurion/Commander”) has been promised for 2025. But they are realistic when it comes to what can actually be achieved.

“We will not have an active exoskeleton with servomotors tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow. That’s science fiction,” Sergei Smagluk, of the EO-1 design team told Russian newspaper RIA Novosti. He adds that as soon as a suitable power source is available, it will create a boom in exoskeleton development, one which his company is well-placed to lead.

In the meantime, incremental improvements of the unpowered version continue, with several hundred sets either on order or already in service. The EO-1 may be unspectacular compared to the vision of invincible powered armor promised by TALOS from the U.S. Navy’s Special Warfare Development Group. But while the TALOS Combat Suit, first announced in 2013, came to nothing, the Russians have a stepping stone to the next level. They are gaining practical experience of what an augmented soldier can do, and what the requirements are for the next generation.

Ambitious projects which aim to deliver radical new capabilities may find it easier to attract funding in the Pentagon’s ecosystem. By the Russian step-by-step approach may have its advantages.

Source: forbes.com

The post Why Russian Military Exoskeletons Are Not Science Fiction appeared first on ARMYNOW.NET.