Comment Re:Compare with BA 5590 military battery (Score 1) 167
Those rechargeable batteries aren't quite as reliable as people will tell you and they're heavier than the single use batteries, although in theory you won't need to take as many to the field if you have a way to recharge them (generator, solar panel). Also the single use battery is considered HAZMAT even when discharged as it may, may, explode upon contacting water so you can't just throw them out once they're used.
In the light infantry medics and RTOs end up carrying a lot of stuff (not to say the poor dude carrying a mortar tube has it easy). I sure hope this project works, soldiers and marines have a very heavy burden to carry once you add communications gear to the body armor, water, weapon, ammo, rain gear, etc. You get used to it after a while, but with stealth and mobility being the direction of modern close-quarters urban combat changes need to be made.
Cutting the weight of communications gear isn't the only way to make the modern warfighter lighter. The future may hold caseless ammo, lightweight and flexible armor, and maybe a better weapon (not saying the M-16/M-4 aren't great, but it gets heavy after carrying it all day).
In the light infantry medics and RTOs end up carrying a lot of stuff (not to say the poor dude carrying a mortar tube has it easy). I sure hope this project works, soldiers and marines have a very heavy burden to carry once you add communications gear to the body armor, water, weapon, ammo, rain gear, etc. You get used to it after a while, but with stealth and mobility being the direction of modern close-quarters urban combat changes need to be made.
Cutting the weight of communications gear isn't the only way to make the modern warfighter lighter. The future may hold caseless ammo, lightweight and flexible armor, and maybe a better weapon (not saying the M-16/M-4 aren't great, but it gets heavy after carrying it all day).
