The US Army's Vision of Soldiers in Exoskeletons Lives On

The US Army recently completed a three-day “proof of concept” evaluation of several off-the-shelf “exoskeleton suits” in late September and early October .

The evaluation was overseen by the service’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) The Army announced its intent in August to award a contract to exoskeleton maker SUITX to “give users experience of advanced soldier augmentation technologies”.

Every decade , the Pentagon appears to stand up and quickly wind down an exoskeleton project without ever producing a feasible prototype.

The most recent concerted attempt at a suit of powered armor came in the last decade in the form of US Special Operations Command’s Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit .

In 2018 , Lockheed Martin was awarded a $6.9 million contract to “enhance” its ONYX exosuit.

The Fort Sill exoskeleton trial isn’t just the latest installment in a seven-decade push to meld man and machine.

The Pentagon is carefully examining whether a robotic assist will help service members carry more for longer downrange.

The 2017 Army RAS strategy, despite its emphasis on lightening soldier loads, also posited the long-term goal of building a “warrior suit” with “integrated displays”.