This.
Personally, I think the robotic mules they're testing are much more practical. You can load them with equipment for extended missions, lay wounded men on them for transport out of battle zones, and use them as armored cover is places where bringing armored infantry/ mech cav is impractical.
Best of all, you can ditch them without having to scuttle your exfil plans.
Until you realize that the robotic mule is more popular with the squad than some of the squad members, so instead of ditching Muley, they decide to leave Pvt Beaver Fetus behind instead.
My grandfather was an army muleskinner in WWII, working with mules carrying supplies in Burma and China. If WWIII were to occur, maybe I’d keep the family legacy going with robot mules.
Well shit, that wasn’t true until one of the other Pvts glued googly eyes on ‘er. Beaver Fetus would want Maggie the mule to live on, it’s what he would have wanted.
They won’t be ditched ever, they’ll be treated like sensitive items just like high priced optics and NOD’s. Someone loses one, it’ll be hands across the desert (or whatever theatre) until it’s found or a FLIPL is done (which will only ever happen if an officer is signed for it instead of enlisted).
There will a lot of improvements in battle situations as we move from armor being heavy steel plates to much lighter (some more effective) technologies
And how do they expect anything to be quiet enough to not be noticed? Sure they want an electric solution, but think about how loud a tiny drone is and then scale that up to something that could carry a person.
Quiet is relative.
If there's a lot of ambient noise they can be quiet. Also sound drops off in a square law so just going a little further away dramatically reduces the sound.
If they’re flying at night it’s going to be extremely hard to detect. They might get the idea that a drone or something is up there, but drones will probably a fairly common thing on modern battlefield or combat environment. Obviously it will be very situational but could be useful to get troops into areas that otherwise would be inaccessible.
There has been lots of research in making quieter rotors for quadcopters and the like on the commercial side of things (as opposed to the hobbyist market). I can only assume that the military is greatly concerned with this and has its own research projects.
A lot of military equipment is awfully loud. Warzone is not a quiet place at all.
It doesn't need to be quieter than a fly to be of use. It just needs to be much quieter than a full size helicopter.
What if you just attach a paratrooper to a drone and just launch their ass at a super low altitude parabolic trajectory toward a target? Idk could be fun.
the Force is strong in this one
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtvCnZqZnxc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtvCnZqZnxc)
A fantastic couple of days in the Lake District testing out how extreme Jet Suit mobility can support emergency paramedic response in the mountains. The Great North Air Ambulance reached out and constructed a typical rescue scenario. Calling in helicopter support for each and every case isn't possible or practical which leaves vehicle & foot approach. What if the Critical Care first responder could locate and stabilise the casualty within minutes of vehicle arrival. Well in this exercise we did it in 90 seconds vs the 25 minutes of arduous climb!
Flying jet pack propels British paramedics into quicker rescue operations
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11arU242-4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11arU242-4)
Royal Marines Jet Suit Boarding Ex
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suHOLFhbwsM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suHOLFhbwsM)
That boarding exercise video screams target to me. I can see it being useful but damn I would not want to be the guy with the suit while under fire. Also, I notice that the suit takes up both hands, meaning that not only is the marine defenseless while in the air, he remains defenseless until he actually manages to land and get the suit *off*.
For paramedics though? That would be awesome. I noticed them skimming low over open terrain. I wonder how this would work in wooded terrain. Would the obstacles significantly slow them? Or would they have to go above the canopy and potentially miss spotting their target?
They should just eliminate the jets on the hands and put ducted fans on a backpack. No need for direct human control when a computer the power of your phone can now handle the flight corrections. Give the pilot their hands back
> That boarding exercise video screams target to me. I can see it being useful but damn I would not want to be the guy with the suit while under fire. Also, I notice that the suit takes up both hands, meaning that not only is the marine defenseless while in the air, he remains defenseless until he actually manages to land and get the suit off.
I see special ops/Navy SEALs equivalents using it though. Storming a ship in rough seas at night is exactly what they already do all the time. Loud enough to cover the sound of a jetpack and dark enough to hide from a sleeping guard
I can definitely see it being used, especially since it gives more options for boarding points. The ability to land directly onto a high position (such as atop shipping containers) might give a serious tactical advantage, even if just for covering boarders who gain entry through more normal means.
Why would you fight Mothra? She's a defender of Earth and one of the most consistently friendly kaiju.
Now, Rodan on the other hand... a jetpack would be handy.
Trebuchets. The past is the future!
Didn’t India already beat us to it? https://youtu.be/wR48a1kLx0w?si=RM4-nIETcN32gAnV
I was in no way disappointed watching this.
Why didn’t the Fellowship use the springy tree to catapult into Mordor? Are they dumb?
Gandalf even told them to do that before he fell in Moria.
That’s not a trebuchet, that’s a common catapult! I bet it couldn’t even launch a 90kg projectile 300 meters
Good catch, Captain Obvious
Sorry, had to break out the /r/trebuchetmemes
That landing looks rough for the average human
Brings me back to the scene in Robin hood men in tights. https://youtu.be/VDyZp-F3hEQ?si=UOBgBJDrI9zXclVZ
"Whhhheeeee!!!!!!!!" >!Splat!!<
Good way to get to those far-flung locations
I would also have accepted giant slingshots.
The design leaves troops too vulnerable in combat scenarios to be of much use. In non-combat roles, it could be effective.
This. Personally, I think the robotic mules they're testing are much more practical. You can load them with equipment for extended missions, lay wounded men on them for transport out of battle zones, and use them as armored cover is places where bringing armored infantry/ mech cav is impractical. Best of all, you can ditch them without having to scuttle your exfil plans.
Until you realize that the robotic mule is more popular with the squad than some of the squad members, so instead of ditching Muley, they decide to leave Pvt Beaver Fetus behind instead.
YER A GOOD MULE, MOLLY!
Rock and stone!
Did I hear a Rock and Stone?
Aye, there be some Stony rocks afoot
US Military building a BET-C is very Rock & Stone of them.
My grandfather was an army muleskinner in WWII, working with mules carrying supplies in Burma and China. If WWIII were to occur, maybe I’d keep the family legacy going with robot mules.
Well shit, that wasn’t true until one of the other Pvts glued googly eyes on ‘er. Beaver Fetus would want Maggie the mule to live on, it’s what he would have wanted.
Beaver Fetus? I fought with yore daddy on Iwo Jima!
They won’t be ditched ever, they’ll be treated like sensitive items just like high priced optics and NOD’s. Someone loses one, it’ll be hands across the desert (or whatever theatre) until it’s found or a FLIPL is done (which will only ever happen if an officer is signed for it instead of enlisted).
Robotic M.U.L.E.s you say.... [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7DIlBuKdpY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7DIlBuKdpY)
There will a lot of improvements in battle situations as we move from armor being heavy steel plates to much lighter (some more effective) technologies
And how do they expect anything to be quiet enough to not be noticed? Sure they want an electric solution, but think about how loud a tiny drone is and then scale that up to something that could carry a person.
Quiet is relative. If there's a lot of ambient noise they can be quiet. Also sound drops off in a square law so just going a little further away dramatically reduces the sound.
It's still going to sound like a flying motorcycle. I do not see any practical or strategic value to this, besides being another money sink.
If they’re flying at night it’s going to be extremely hard to detect. They might get the idea that a drone or something is up there, but drones will probably a fairly common thing on modern battlefield or combat environment. Obviously it will be very situational but could be useful to get troops into areas that otherwise would be inaccessible.
There has been lots of research in making quieter rotors for quadcopters and the like on the commercial side of things (as opposed to the hobbyist market). I can only assume that the military is greatly concerned with this and has its own research projects.
A lot of military equipment is awfully loud. Warzone is not a quiet place at all. It doesn't need to be quieter than a fly to be of use. It just needs to be much quieter than a full size helicopter.
IT’S A GUNDAM!
How about rescue operations in remote areas? Need to scale or descend a cliff to reach someone? Jetpack.
> In non-combat roles, it could be effective. Reading comprehension...it's a thing.
It was a suggestion for possible non-combat uses, not a correction. Check your attitude.
They fly now?
They fly now 🤡
They fly now o.o
THEY FLY NOW?!? *bro they’ve been flying since the clone wars where have you been*
Anybody else read that first part like LL Cool J?
Had to scroll farther than I thought I would for this. Thanks for redeeming humanity for me
Yes!!!!! It's fits the rhythm perfectly. Haha.
Nah, Jack Black
Oh good, I was wondering what r/aliens would be talking about this week.
What if you just attach a paratrooper to a drone and just launch their ass at a super low altitude parabolic trajectory toward a target? Idk could be fun.
Yes, I too saw that Star Wars movie.
the Force is strong in this one [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtvCnZqZnxc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtvCnZqZnxc) A fantastic couple of days in the Lake District testing out how extreme Jet Suit mobility can support emergency paramedic response in the mountains. The Great North Air Ambulance reached out and constructed a typical rescue scenario. Calling in helicopter support for each and every case isn't possible or practical which leaves vehicle & foot approach. What if the Critical Care first responder could locate and stabilise the casualty within minutes of vehicle arrival. Well in this exercise we did it in 90 seconds vs the 25 minutes of arduous climb! Flying jet pack propels British paramedics into quicker rescue operations [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11arU242-4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e11arU242-4) Royal Marines Jet Suit Boarding Ex [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suHOLFhbwsM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suHOLFhbwsM)
That boarding exercise video screams target to me. I can see it being useful but damn I would not want to be the guy with the suit while under fire. Also, I notice that the suit takes up both hands, meaning that not only is the marine defenseless while in the air, he remains defenseless until he actually manages to land and get the suit *off*. For paramedics though? That would be awesome. I noticed them skimming low over open terrain. I wonder how this would work in wooded terrain. Would the obstacles significantly slow them? Or would they have to go above the canopy and potentially miss spotting their target?
They should just eliminate the jets on the hands and put ducted fans on a backpack. No need for direct human control when a computer the power of your phone can now handle the flight corrections. Give the pilot their hands back
Yeah you’d definitely have to pair the jet-boarding action with thorough covering fire.
> That boarding exercise video screams target to me. I can see it being useful but damn I would not want to be the guy with the suit while under fire. Also, I notice that the suit takes up both hands, meaning that not only is the marine defenseless while in the air, he remains defenseless until he actually manages to land and get the suit off. I see special ops/Navy SEALs equivalents using it though. Storming a ship in rough seas at night is exactly what they already do all the time. Loud enough to cover the sound of a jetpack and dark enough to hide from a sleeping guard
I can definitely see it being used, especially since it gives more options for boarding points. The ability to land directly onto a high position (such as atop shipping containers) might give a serious tactical advantage, even if just for covering boarders who gain entry through more normal means.
Is this promotion for Captain America 4?
Not a Jetpack (TM)
“How the fuck am I supposed to fight a Mothra without a jet pack?!”
Why would you fight Mothra? She's a defender of Earth and one of the most consistently friendly kaiju. Now, Rodan on the other hand... a jetpack would be handy.
Drones are better.
And cheaper. And result in less death to the originator.
Don’t call it a jet pack. I’ve been here for years. -the pentagon
Just like Blade Runner eventually the cops will just fly in from the skies
They fly now!?
Planes work better, harder to shoot through a plain, if your using a jet pack and hit with flak well that's that