The steady advance of technology over the past 100 years has guaranteed that each generation of soldiers benefitted from better quality army equipment than the one before. We’ve come a long way from World War I, when a soldier was given a bayonet, ammunition, clothes and the most basic of equipment to survive in the harshest of battle conditions. Modern Soldier Systems are constantly being improved, and are designed to cover as many of the basic needs and combat needs of soldiers as possible. And, it is to modern Soldier Systems that many soldiers owe their lives to, and that many battle commanders owe mission success to. Let’s take a deeper look at the different modernizations in soldier army equipment.


One of the major problems plaguing soldiers around the world is the weight of their load. Soldiers carry on average 30% more weight now than they did in WWII, according to an Army Times article. If a soldier is only supposed to carry up to 50 pounds, soldiers today find themselves carrying at least 20 pounds more per person, if not more. This can lead to an increased risk or injury and is correlated with the development of leg, back, shoulder and neck disabilities. Also, increased load weight will more than certainly limit the soldier’s mobility in the field, and ultimately decrease his effectiveness in battle conditions, especially on rough terrain.


The main conundrum still remains: how to give soldiers in the field as much army equipment as possible, to cover their needs, while still lightening their load? The use of sleds, donkeys or mules to help carry the soldier’s load is fundamentally unrealistic, as they cannot be used in all terrains, and because this solution lacks the stealth element. Next generation Soldier Systems are being developed in an attempt to resolve the existing issues concerning soldier army equipment, and to increase soldier efficiency and effectiveness on the battle field.


Let’s look at two different Soldier Systems prototypes which are still in development. Though these Soldier Systems are not yet operational, they are currently being tested in an effort to make them available to soldiers around the world in the near future. One first such system is the Land Warrior, which has been in development for the past 15 years. The Land Warrior is designed for individual infantry soldiers. This is an integrated fighting system designed to give troops enhanced survivability, lethality and tactical awareness. The Land Warrior kit integrates a helmet, computer, weapons system, voice and digital communications, protective clothing, positional and navigational system and individual equipment. First weighing in at 16 pounds, the kit was believed by soldiers to be more of a strain, than helpful. After further development, the weight of the kit was reduced to only 10 pounds. While this kit is still in testing, should it ever become operational, it will help digitize the battlefield for soldiers, easing communications and navigation.


Another soldier system still in development is the HULC – Human Universal Load Carrier. The Army is currently testing HULC for integrated capabilities, as it would allow a soldier to carry up to 200 pounds with no stress, locate a shooter after the first shot is fired, see heat signatures and see behind walls. HULC is an anthropomorphic exoskeleton, and it can be custom fitted with heating or cooling systems, sensors, and armor plating. Together, these soldier systems and others of the like are sure to revolutionize modern warfare.


Modern Soldier Systems http://www.wbresearch.com/soldiertechnologyeurope/home.aspx are designed to give soldiers enhanced capabilities. Normally soldiers have to carry a large weight of army equipment http://www.wbresearch.com/soldiertechnologyeurope/ContactEventTeam.aspx and soldier systems are designed in part to help lighten the load.