From: ac579@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (G.C.J. Timm)

Author's note: Due to current U.S. Government requirements EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS IS A WORK OF FICTION.

Copyright 1991. Geoffrey C.J. Timm

The Individual Soldier in the Near Future /or/ We'll Have 20 Divisions, the Russians Will Have 230.

Part One.

The soldier is a highly endangered species.

The air on the battlefield will kill him.

Being sensed by any of hundreds of different mines will kill him.

Unpleasant people with nasty toys will kill him on sight.

A soldier's lot is not a happy one.

Any system is a compromise.

You have to balance protection, weight, serviceability and comfort.

Comfort ALWAYS comes last.

Starting from the skin outward, remove most hair for cleanliness, and add a layer of mesh underwear, with special baby diaper based pads under the arm pits to draw perspiration away from the wearer.

This should also be the layer where the fresh cooled air goes after the soldier inhales some of the supply.

The next layer should be the uniform/CBR suit.

Available in various levels and with integrated layers and optional weather protection.

The next layer is load bearing equipment (LBE) and combat load, weapons, ammo, food, water, etc.

Now, take the lessons learned from Navy ship design and apply it to the individual.

That is, incorporate EVERYTHING carried into the armor plan.

The People's Republic of China used the magazine carrier to place six 30-round 7.62mm x 39 magazines over the lower chest cavity.

Exported to NVN it meant a US rifleman in SVN had to shoot through four layers of thin steel, four steel cases and some thin canvas.

At short range the 55 grain bullet had a tendency to shatter, giving the 5.56mm x 45 a poor reputation at short ranges.

This may be why the SEALS often carry the obsolete M-14 7.62mm x 51 instead of the modern M-16A2!

Now, let's not waste capability.

The idea that body armor is a separate system is a waste of time, effort and money. The US has integrated their current ballistic nylon vest into an equipment support system.

This can be expanded to include almost everything carried.

Where should you put the computer system unit?

How about over your heart?

Given the choice, which would you rather lose?

Carbon fiber composites and special plastics can replace heavier material and are fairly bullet resistant, or can be structured that way.

The Israelis use the TOGA system of composite add on armor to raise the protective level of the M-113 APC.

According to one source the TOGA will stop 14.5mm rounds before it gets to the hull!

Taking a note from the NFL, (National Football League, American Style, Also known as the 100 yard war) a nice set of shoulder pads can be useful for spreading the carried load and the system can prevent the helmet from moving into positions which would prove injurious to the poor guy inside.

This also gives you splinter protection from overhead bursts when you pull your arms in against your body.

Gives a useful location for your commo antenna too.

Auxiliary gear can also add to the protection.

The ultimate Sci.mil weapon, tool entrenching, or shovel is already proof against 5.56mm x 45 rounds, 55-grain ball projectile, at an angle that is.

A plastic canteen doesn't stop much but four inches of water helps.

A sleeping bag can be made with ballistic nylon as well as synthetic insulation.

Even ammunition can be packaged to form a protective barrier if the plastic magazines are made to resist penetration. Planning for the armor scheme must also include breaking up the Infra Red signature.

The outer layers.

The Gilly Suit made famous by British snipers is essentially a smock with rough burlap strips sewn to it to make a person look like a shrub.

This idea, modernized, would be a loose smock with water resistant, radar scattering, IR distorting effects as well as visually looking like a shrub. Weapons and equipment should be carried under the smock to hide it from active sensors.

It would make sense to carry several disposable plastic camouflage pattern sheets to hide under when chemicals are disbursed.

These sheets might also be employed as decoys.

The entire ensemble isn't likely to make the cover of a fashion magazine, but it should prove popular with the guy inside.

I think the Air Conditioning (we'll have to call it something like "Combat Infantry Powered Life Support"

CIPLS to get it passed by the budget committees) will be vital.

Should a soldier carry a shield?

Given modern weapons and modern synthetics it might make sense to bring back the shield.

This would be a curved piece of composite material with excellent projectile resistance, worn as the last layer over the back during deployment (marching that is), worn in front during assaults and used to form overhead cover when the soldier digs into a position.

Part Two.

The human is definitely a weak point in the system.

It's input is wide spectrum, but it's comprehension is poor.

It receives audio, visual, olfactory, and tactile inputs and it's main output system is voice or signal substitutes for voice such as hand gestures and finger gestures.

To work best with a human, you must keep things SIMPLE!

BUT, only the input and output are important.

The system can be as complex as necessary, as long as the Human/Machine interface is apparently simple to the human.

ULTIMATE PRINCIPLE OF WEAPONS DESIGN.

RELIABILITY IS THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION.

A weapons system must work EVERY TIME you pull the trigger.

This principle has kept the M1911 Colt .45 Pistol in the US Army for 80 years.

The system helmet surrounds the main input systems, eyes and ears.

Controls must be simple AND SILENT voice may work OK in an armor vehicle or a fighter plane, but the grunt on the ground wants NO NOISE emitted unless absolutely VITAL to the mission or keeping him alive, because sound kills.

Choices:

There are two main locations for sensor systems, one, the helmet, two the weapon.

Or a combination of both.

The current combination favored by Army R&D is a weapon mounted sight, fiber optically tied to the helmet display. I think they were overly influenced by the pictures from the Tet Offensive in SVN, where a soldier raised his M-16 over his head and sprayed full auto over a wall.

The advantages are:

Simplicity, ease of operation and flexibility of weapon positioning.

The drawbacks are:

limited stability on point targets at ranges beyond 100 meters, that is the system discourages good solid weapon firing position and encourages short range point and squirt.

First, determine what you want the soldier to do, then give him the necessities to accomplish the mission.

Second, it must be RELIABLE!

Third, follow Heinlein's dictum, "A suit you just wear."

Fourth, keep it simple for the operator.

Levels of performance/access to data.

Every soldier does not need the same equipment or information.

There is a difference in need between the rifleman in a rifle squad, his squad leader, his platoon leader, and a Ranger or SEAL on a penetration mission.

Basic system.

Eye protection.

This can be provided by either inner glasses or a face shield.

Or both.

Day/night vision.

Current speculation leans toward thermal imaging technology, as this allows you to see through incidental smoke, battlefield smoke generators now counter IR emissions.

Communications.

This must be a flexible system.

Capable of sending/receiving audio and visual.

Capable of being linked by fiber optics as well as radio.

Optionally direct line laser links.

There should be a squad BS link for morale purposes included (fiber link only) to assist in status monitoring while in fixed positions, this is also a sneaky trick to get tired troops to rig their links.

The APC (Armored Personnel Carrier could provide a central switching point while in position, but given the current and rising level of smart weapons an APC could be a battlefield dinosaur, soon to be replaced with smaller wheeled APC's depending on speed and small size and signature to be less vulnerable.

Information Displays/compass/maps.

This must be another flexible system.

First it must be secure.

The Global Positioning System is soon to be accurate to 5 meters, vertical and horizontal.

This allows an exact location of all friendly forces.

In the wrong hands this could be fatal!

The individual rifleman needs, most of the time, only a local knowledge, emergency rally point, safe zone (a questionable idea at best), and especially the area immediately to his front and his zone of responsibility, depending on his weapon/mission.

This information should be displayed in his vision ONLY as needed.

(KISS!)

In briefings he should get a larger picture, but this should not be stored by his computer for field security reasons. Depending on mission and level of command more information should be dispensed as necessary, need to know basis only! The highest level of enhancement will probably be for Forward Support Controllers, whose displays will include a grid overlay, preplanned target zones and ESPECIALLY locations of friendly forces.

There are a lot of mourning British Families who wish this technology had been available in the Gulf war.

The British Army took more casualties from friendly fire than enemy fire!

Hearing protection/enhancement.

This is a tricky area for priorities.

Which is more important, local sound enhancement or the command link?

The sound enhancement will have to be user controlled, with overrides for those times when the enemy clobbers the radio link with noise generation or the weapons fire next to the soldier.

The advantages of a binaural system, with hearing protection outweigh the disadvantages.

(Currently, police SWAT "Special Weapons And Tactics" use amplified headsets on raids, some experimental models also have a radio linkage.

One of the best is called "Wolf Ears" and makes a human the equal of a wild animal in sonic sensor capability.

Defense Sensor.

This is a combination CBR sensor, capable of detecting and analyzing chemical agent attacks and the presence of radiation.

This should include radar and laser painting of the soldiers position.

It should also send the alarm over the commo net, just in case the individual wearing it was a little too slow....

Part Three.

Memory mnemonic used by Drill Instructor's to teach military terminology to maggots, vermin, Cy-villains, and other recruits. (Recited while running around a moving platoon formation of recruits, with the weapon carried in the left hand over the helmet and the right hand inserted in the uniform trousers, for balance.)

Individual weapon.

Current individual weapons have followed a trend of lighter weight, lighter ammo and easier shooting.

(The UK has adopted a clumsy rifle which, in 5.56mm NATO manages to be heavier than the 7.62mm NATO rifle it replaces!)

But most countries have gone to 5mm class weapons despite the cost. Even the USSR with an investment in literally millions of rifles has gone to a 5mm class weapon, right down to little carbine versions for internal security troops.

(See the latest footage from the Baltic states for examples)

The current proposals for Advanced Combat Rifles (ACR) have followed the trend into smaller calibers with the H&K 4.35mm leading the way with a caseless round.

Advanced body armor may cause a reversal of this trend.

You can accelerate a subcaliber penetrator to higher velocities with a larger bore than you can with a smaller barrel.

Current body armor is heavy, but proof against 5.56mm projectiles at ranges beyond 50 meters.

With advanced composites and improvements in soft armor, more penetration will become necessary to inflict casualties.

Add advanced optic sights and every soldier becomes at least a sharpshooter, if not a sniper. If you can increase the current hit probability and increase the effective range beyond 300 meters you will need at least a 7mm rifle.

At the same time, advanced composites and metallurgy can make the individual rifle lighter.

A rifle with a synthetic gem barrel may be further in the future, but a very practical system can be made lighter than needed for recoil absorption, even with the added weight of a flexible optic sight system.

I favor the proposal for a modular weapon, tailored for the mission.

The basic unit will be a 7mm (.284 caliber for the metric impaired) high chamber pressure system, arranged in a bullpup configuration.

This puts the rifle action under the shooters cheek and the magazine just in front of the shooters shoulder.

(Note:

I also favor the idea of right hand action only.

If the left handed can't learn to shoot right handed, put them in Armor and let the vehicle hold their weapon in shooting position! %^>

We never lost a war while equipped with the right hand only 1903 Springfield, although we did have to pay Paul Mauser royalties!)

The handgrip and optic sight are over the center of the weapon. This is muzzle light, but gives a very long barrel for high velocity, without becoming clumsy.

(See the Austrian AUG (Army Universal Gun) for an example.)

Gas operation allows flexibility in ammunition selection.

A ball round for training, practice and missions against forces not well equipped with personal armor, or engagements expected at short range.

A discarding sabot round with subcaliber penetrator would be used against armored targets.

A bipod for use in the prone position is a very useful accessory.

First option module.

A 25mm (1 inch for the metric impaired) short barreled grenade launcher under the 7mm barrel, this should lock solidly into the frame/receiver of the basic weapon.

(I was once a grenadier, with an M-16A1/M203 40mm grenade launcher.

The clip on nature of the M203 was a very weak point, along with recoil!)

Ammo options:

HE (a simple grenade).

HERAP (a simple grenade with a rocket assist to cut recoil and give precise direct fire similar to the 7mm round.)

SVRA (Super Velocity Ring Airfoil.

A hard metal tube with a lining of solid propellant.

Essentially a ram jet.

"If the 7mm don't stop the (expletive deleted) the screamer will!"

The ring airfoil is currently used to duplicate the high velocity of expensive Discarding Sabot rounds for training.

PMC (Pusan Metallic Cartridge I believe) also has a .357 caliber pistol round which uses ultra high velocity to enhance target effect.))

HEAT (High Explosive Antitank, a shaped charge, seldom used against armored vehicles, but vital in a city fight to knock holes in walls, etc.)

Buckshot (the equivalent of a 12 gauge shotgun for short range work against unarmored targets.)

Tear gas (With a multi-option fuse, allowing direct fire at short range, time burst and proximity.

Because you don't want to kill everybody!) Incendiary (because sometimes it IS better to destroy the building to save it!)

Sensor (wouldn't a squad leader love to plant a microphone/vibration detector a couple of hundred meters in front of his position?

I sure would have!

If it trails a fiber optic link it would be very useful at night.

Second Option Module.

An under the barrel laser target designator/range finder.

For controlling supporting fires, and optionally, replacing tracers for the squad leader/platoon leader, using the individual visual sensors to spot the spot (sorry, couldn't resist.)

This would be linked to a computer system for precise location and would control indirect fire weapons.

The optic sight would be enhanced to work with the unit.

Other weapons.

Some current proposals include each soldier carrying two antitank systems.

These are squat tubes built into the back pack.

Essentially a rocket boosted single projectile adaption of a scatterable, fire and forget, anti-armor weapon, the soldier uses his weapon sight to judge angle and range, then he fires the weapon, which seeks and attacks the top of the attacking AFV (Armored Fighting Vehicle.)

This bypasses the frontal armor, but is the current choice for attack, so counter measures are expected.

Blazer armor could be packaged on top.

The counter measure would be to rake the AFV with HEAT grenades to strip the reactive armor and then use a series of top attack weapons.

Composite armor umbrellas for tankers?

Portable Air Force.

Your squad APC pulls a trailer (replacements are air transportable, just send it back and the Ordnance Corps refills it) with indirect fire guided weapons, selected for the mission.

This would include advanced Hellfire laser target seeking missiles, dirty old 250 pound bombs with laser/optic seeking heads, rocket engines and ground launch boosters (why waste a fighter when a trailer can do the job?)

A 250 lb pound bomb scoring a direct hit on an AFV will pretty much ruin the crews whole week despite ANY armor carried.

Additional trailer packages could be planted in front of the unit and controlled by fiber optic link.

Beats a mine field, and could probably dispense a mine field as required!

Remember the ultimate military dictum.

"Technology dictates tactics as much as tactics dictate technology."

Any and all disclaimers ever issued anywhere by anyone apply.

William H Timmins - wtimmins@hotmail.com