Blake Hall
The military is almost ready to start sending its very own Iron Man to the front lines.
Flight and J.A.R.V.I.S. the computer butler are still stuck in science fiction, but protective body armor that can respond the wearer’s will is shockingly close to completion. The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, is a battery-powered liquid exoskeleton that can solidify on command. U.S. Special Forces Command started to develop this technology after an American soldier died trying to enter a building.
“This is a program that we started after we lost an operator on a mission. The first guy coming into a particular building was engaged and unfortunately was mortally wounded. And in the wake of that, we asked ourselves, ‘Couldn’t we do better in terms of protecting him, of giving him a better advantage when he’s at the most vulnerable point that we put our operators?'” said Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Special Operations Command.
The goal of TALOS is to give its wearer a tactical advantage in vulnerable situations. Special Operations Command is expected to roll out the first prototypes in 2018. You can compare TALOS to current gear below.
