The Russian exoskeleton has become a reality for the military. An innovative piece of equipment has already been tested in military and peaceful conditions, and not so long ago it was shown (and even allowed to try on) domestic journalists. What is the Russian suit of the "iron man" and what is it really for.
At whose expense the holiday
The exoskeleton for the Russian military was developed by the Moscow company "GB Engineering", which has been working in this field for 13 years. The order for the project came from the country's Ministry of Defense.
It is noteworthy that the project was not funded by budget funds. The company developed the exoskeleton at its own expense. According to the general director of the enterprise, Sergei Smaglyuk, over the past years, they have poured millions of rubles into the development. The manager did not name the exact amount, as well as the data on the payback period of the project. But what is known is that full deliveries of exoskeletons for the Russian military will begin this year.
The new equipment will be supplied along with new equipment for soldiers, which was developed by the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (part of the State Corporation "Rostec"). The cost of the suit is not named, but foreign counterparts usually cost from 2 to 6 million rubles. For example, the American Phoenix costs the military 2.7 million rubles.
What is it and who is it for
The exoskeleton replicates the human leg, hip and back joints. Visually, it looks like a wireframe. The suit does not have any built-in equipment or armor. Its main task is to help fighters easily carry not 25 kg of equipment, but all 50 kg. Due to the mechanical design, the load is practically not felt.
It is also important that the suit allows you to carry people with the same ease - it is useful when evacuating wounded comrades. All this is achieved due to additional protection and strengthening of the spine and joints of the fighter, general unloading of the human musculoskeletal system. It is quite difficult to put on such a suit alone. First, the exoskeleton is thrown over the shoulders. It is "fitted" to a particular fighter with the help of numerous belts. The equipment can withstand temperature changes in the range of -50 / + 50 degrees Celsius.
The exoskeleton is passive. It has no electronics or batteries. The structure weighs from 4 to 9 kg, depending on the configuration. GB Engineering has been thinking about creating an active exoskeleton for a long time, but so far there are not enough domestically produced servos. There are no suitable batteries for the implementation of such a project.
Want to know even more interesting things about weapons? Then read about how Americans have created the latest rifle: what it is and why is it needed on the battlefield.