Most modern armies and tactical forces around the world need to be prepared to fight enemies they cannot see. Terrorists often resort to guerrilla fighting tactics to tip the odds in their favor. ISIS was known to use modern military hardware, bobby traps, IEDs, and drones for surveillance and attack.
These are testing times as the bad guys have greater access to modern military weaponry and hardware than ever before. This makes them more difficult to detect and thus harder to kill.
Most military equipment experts would agree that the only way to counter these threats is by constantly investing in advance technologies. Technologies that not only keep soldiers safer from enemy threats but also improves the surveillance and engagement capabilities of modern forces.
This often means investing in concept military equipment and weapons that sound like science fiction. Following are 3 military technologies that are close to becoming realities.
Liquid Body Armor
The performance of body armor really boils down to two factors, protection and practicality. For example, a thick slab or armor may do a great job in stopping armor piercing rounds, but its heavy weight and rigidity will make the soldier wearing it slow on the battlefield. This is where liquid armor comes into play. They are flexible and they provide the same degree of protection as modern Kevlar body armors. How can a liquid layer stop bullets? Well, the special liquid changes its viscosity instantly when subjected to the piercing force of a bullet. Simply put, liquid body armor can stop bullets, but they are much more flexible and lighter than traditional body armor.
Unmanned Fighter Jets
The US leads the pack when it comes to combat drones. When it comes to operationally ready combat UCAVs, the Avenger C Predator is the latest and most advanced unmanned fighter out there. The Predator uses special stealth technologies, which protects it from radar guided missiles and weapons. The United States is heavily invested in boosting the capabilities of their drone programs and they are on their way to developing the first unmanned fighter jet. This crew-less fighter will be much more capable to perform dog fights and other operational functions expected from a full-service fighter jet. Both Boeing and Northrop Grumman are working towards developing unmanned fighter jets and the F-35 might just be the last manned fighter jet produced by the United States. UK also recently unveiled the Tempest jet, a unmanned fighter jet. Developed by BAE Systems and Rolls Royce, this jet is going to be a sixth generation fighter capable of unmanned flying.
Exoskeleton Suit
Once the stuff of science fiction, exoskeleton suits are more closer to reality than you think. ·Lockheed Martin has already produced several working suits and the technology is in its testing phase. These suits are designed to reduce fatigue, increase a soldier's load carrying capacity, and of course, allow soldiers to run at greater speeds.
The United States certainly ·is not the only country interested in this tech as China and Russia are both currently developing their own Exoskeleton suits. While these suits are closer to becoming a reality than the two other techs on our list, there is one hurdle that can slow down its mass deployment. The price of these units is multiples of tens of thousands of dollars, which means they might initially be reserved for special forces and elite units.
