Turning man into machine: armies around globe trotting out high-tech warrior ensembles.

PARIS -- The concept of humans possessing the machine-like capabilities of science fiction characters, such as Robocop, the Terminator and Star Trek Borg, is fast becoming reality among several of the world's armies.

In as little as two years, soldiers will begin wearing kits designed to seamlessly accommodate and connect all their advanced gadgets and weapons, effectively turning each individual into an informational "node" within the larger troop network.

The suits are part of a solution to help quench soldiers' thirst for more information on the battlefield, or what military officials call "situational awareness." Instead of being mere pawns, every soldier will come equipped with a suite of readily accessible digital technologies to help him better understand, navigate and manipulate the combat environment.

From small handheld computers and hands-free communications links to helmet-mounted displays and global positioning system receivers, the equipment incorporated into these future soldier ensembles will make the infantryman more lethal, stealthy and survivable, say company representatives during the Eurosatory ground warfare exposition here.

But while the future fighting ensembles consolidate disparate systems into a single "plug and play" unit, they do not yet alleviate the weight of all the gear.

For a typical infantry combat mission, soldiers currently are saddled with 100 to 150 pounds of gear. Armies developing these future ensembles have set ambitious weight-loss goals for the equipment. The U.S. Army's "future warrior" project, for example, wants to lighten the load to about 50 pounds.

Some European efforts estimate the gear will weigh between 52 and 66 pounds.

Along with the weight concerns, power consumption requirements for all the digital technologies will likely be high, which will require soldiers to tote even more energy sources. And there is a question of how much information troops can absorb before becoming overloaded.

The French army's future soldier technology, FELIN--Fantassins a Equipement et Liaisons Integrees--is a major program that integrates electronic equipment for dismounted soldiers, says a representative from Sagem Defense Securite, the prime contractor that is manufacturing the ensemble.

The basic suit weighs 52.8 pounds, or 24 kilograms, and can support an infantryman for 24 hours with batteries, munitions, food and water. The lithium-ion battery pack, wearable computer, digital radio communications system and GPS navigational system are incorporated directly into the uniform.

"It's very comfortable," says Richard Frank, a company representative who is wearing a demonstration FELIN system. He holds a modified FAMAS assault rifle that can sight targets, and capture and transmit video.

Platoon leaders will carry a special handheld computer that is loaded with a battlefield management system. It will allow them to track their squads, send orders, operate weapons and communicate with commanders.

All helmets come with mounted night vision systems and rotating eyepieces that display video from weapons, unmanned aerial platforms, the unit's vehicles, as well as any of the computers worn by the soldiers.

Beneath their helmets, soldiers will wear audio headsets with osteophone technology, which conducts sound through bone vibrations. The microphones and headphones rest on the sides of the head, which leaves the ears "open" to the environment. To talk, soldiers press buttons on their radio system. The controls can also be mounted onto their weapons for remote operation.

The French army has ordered 32,000 FELIN units, which will be fielded to soldiers in 2008. Sagem will deliver 358 suits in February for first year testing and evaluation. Second generation suits are also in the works, and likely will lighten the load and improve upon technologies in the first iteration, say company representatives.

FELIN's Italian counterpart, Soldato Futuro, has many similar characteristics. Digital technologies are incorporated into the suit to give soldiers easy access to communications, information and weapons. But the suit also features a built-in physiological monitoring system whose sensors will transmit a soldier's vital statistics and stress levels to personal digital assistants, or PDAs, that are carried by commanding officers. Tests of the ensemble, according to Finmeccanica representatives, were to have taken place in July.

The German army has fielded an early version of its future soldier system, the Infanterist der Zukunft, to some of its troops in Afghanistan, says Lt. Col. Jochen Rheinhardt, procurement officer.

"They have situational awareness with PDAs. They get GPS positions so they have total understanding about the mission," he tells National Defense. "Now you can protect a wider area because you have very close communication. This is really an incredible step forward for the infantry. They get pictures of what's in front of them. They get messages. It makes their job easier," he says.

The IdZ is scheduled to roll out into German units in 2008.

The German army has also procured an 8-wheel armored vehicle to transport such future warriors in 2009 (see related story). The Boxer, says Rheinhardt, will cater to the individual soldier's needs, including providing energy by recharging his batteries and linking him to larger digital networks for updates and information.

The capability to see around the corner while remaining safely behind barriers is another technology sought by many armies.

During a live demonstration of ground warfare technologies, three soldiers hop out the back of a French-made combat vehicle and take positions behind a stucco-colored wall. To conduct reconnaissance on the enemy beyond the barrier, one soldier hoists another up for a peek. The third soldier, wearing the French FELIN ensemble, lifts his rifle over the top of the wall. The weapon's camera transmits video in real-time to his eyepiece, allowing him to see the environment without exposing himself to harm.

For forces that want such a capability now instead of waiting years for future soldier kits to come online, one company is offering a solution that upgrades weapons with minimal physical alterations.

Corner Shot Ltd., based in Yehud, Israel, has designed a weapon housing system with a barrel that can swivel 90 degrees and accommodate various firearms.

"We don't want them to change the pistol for us--we are changing the pistol housing for them," says Rami Shaul, vice president of development.

Pistols, machine guns and even grenade launchers slide into the housing. A camera at the end of the barrel sends live color video to a small screen on the side of the weapon, allowing operators to see around the corner, acquire targets and shoot without exposing themselves to harm.

The product is not only saving the lives of law enforcement officers and troops, but it is also preserving the lives of potential victims at the other end of the barrel, says Shaul. Information gathered by video from around the corner can help mitigate dangerous situations without resorting to violence, he says.

Night vision capability is also available and operators can transmit the video wirelessly to their commanders.

The company's newest product is the Corner Shot APR--assault pistol rifle 5.56. It offers increased firepower and extended range for more accuracy and lethality.

Shaul says the company is working on adapting the core firearm housing technology for non-lethal weapons, such as tasers.

Gadgets that keep soldiers out of harm's way during reconnaissance missions include softball-sized video cameras that can be tossed into buildings and hostile environments.

The Singaporean army has acquired one such technology called "vision ball." When tossed through a window, the chrome-colored ball uprights itself after rolling to a stop and gives a 360-degree view of its environment, says Capt. Eddie Khng. It is one of many commercial-off-the-shelf products that the military is asking for, he says. Singapore Technologies acquires the products and modifies them for military use.

"We know what we want, so we go tell them what we need," says Khng.

Remote-controlled ground robots with mounted cameras are a high-priority item, he says.

"We wanted to have something cheap, so we took a toy car, ruggedized it, and put a camera on it," says Khng.

Singapore Technologies has also purchased iRobot's Packbot and mounted its own suite of cameras and sensors.

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