- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Universal Soldiers: New Ratnik Gear to 'Turn Russian Servicemen Into Supermen'

© Sputnik / Ramil Sitdikov / Go to the mediabankA soldier in the Ratnik gear at the Russian Army Festival in Moscow.file photo
A soldier in the Ratnik gear at the Russian Army Festival in Moscow.file photo - Sputnik International
Subscribe
It is safe to assume that the third generation Ratnik infantry combat system will help turn Russian soldiers into supermen, according to defense expert Sergey Cherkasov.

Armoured recovery vehicle (BREM-1) in demonstration runs at the 2nd international forum Engineering Technologies-2012 in Zhukovsky near Moscow - Sputnik International
Russian Army Tests Next-Generation Armored Recovery Vehicle
In his article, published by the online magazine Politrussia.com, defense expert Sergey Cherkasov claimed that the advanced Ratnik-3 infantry combat system may well give Russian soldiers superman-like capabilities.

His think piece came after Russia's Land Forces commander Col. Gen. Oleg Salyukov said earlier this year that work on the creation of the Ratnik-3 personal combat uniform is already under way.

"Like any other project related to 'the soldier of the future', the Ratnik-3 is an attempt to bring a soldier's capabilities to a qualitatively new level with the help of sophisticated combat gear," according to Cherkasov.

© Sputnik / Yuri Streletc / Go to the mediabankServicemen of the Central Military District's peace-keeping unit hold a tactical exercise using the Ratnik battlesuits. File photo
Servicemen of the Central Military District's peace-keeping unit hold a tactical exercise using the Ratnik battlesuits. File photo - Sputnik International
Servicemen of the Central Military District's peace-keeping unit hold a tactical exercise using the Ratnik battlesuits. File photo

"Also, this is an attempt to get the better of a potential enemy by using high technology", he said.

He recalled that it took Russia 15 years to create what Cherkasov described as "a breakthrough infantry combat system," which he said provides "unprecedented communication capabilities both within a squad and between a combat unit and a command center."

© Sputnik / Alexey Filippov / Go to the mediabankA soldier demonstrates the "Ratnik" Soldier Combat Equipment Set during a military exercise at Alabino range, Moscow Region. File photo
A soldier demonstrates the Ratnik Soldier Combat Equipment Set during a military exercise at Alabino range, Moscow Region. File photo  - Sputnik International
A soldier demonstrates the "Ratnik" Soldier Combat Equipment Set during a military exercise at Alabino range, Moscow Region. File photo

The Ratnik gear is comprised of more than 40 components, including firearms, body armor, an optical array, communication and navigation devices, as well as life support and power supply systems.

The Ratnik outfit is mainly designed for snipers, riflemen, drivers of armored vehicles and airborne combat vehicle gunners.

The Ratnik-2 outfit adds significantly to the soldier's combat efficiency and survivability, not least because it's lighter; at 20 kilos, it weighs only half as much as its predecessor.

Urals trucks produced at the Ural Automotive Plant in the city of Miass - Sputnik International
Russia
Soviet Army Surplus: Russian Defense Ministry Announces Massive Vehicle Sell-Off
As for the third generation infantry combat kit, it will feature various integrated biomechanical tools, including exoskeleton constructions with built-in microclimate support and a health monitoring system. 

In the Ratnik-3, all information and targeting data will be directly fed to a visor or protective goggles.

The Ratnik gear helps a soldier maintain stable radio contact with other units and receive continuously updated reconnaissance data about enemy positions and the overall situation in the combat zone, something that really makes him an 'intellectual fighting machine.'

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала