We Are Going to Need Better Body Armor in the Future For US and NATO Troops

The United States Military is serious about bodyexoskeleton suit technologies, thus climbing up steep
armor for our troops, and rightfully so. Today, ourslopes, and long distances without fatigue, and
body armor for our soldiers is outstanding, and theexhaustion will be no problem.
next generation will be radically and revolutionarilyEven better our troops will be protected from bullets,
stronger; and lighter. That's a good thing, imagineshrapnel, and those who might try to get close for a
hiking up the hills in parts of Afghanistan, were mostknife fight, well in the even they ever got that close
animals can't go, and vehicles are completely out ofthat is. A military think tank group working on such
the question. All of a sudden 30-40 pounds of bodythings must ask themselves the tough question and
armor is no longer in the equation. Forget the enemy,look to future materials to better what already
you'll die from the extra weight, altitude, andexists.
exhaustion.Too, they will need to look towards nature, for
Now then, regarding light-weight body armor and theinstance; what are your thoughts on scales, as a
next generation of the "Future Fighting Force"potential pattern to allow flexibility, and armor +
exploits. Have you studied the Abalone Shellsspecial forces for water missions? And they will need
(perhaps you have studied marine life) and theto be pro-nature to follow evolution to gain insight
processes being used to mimic them for potentialinto the best strategies, as many believe that even if
body armor? We can now grow materials in the labwe can better nature, it has a good head start?
that are similar, but much stronger, and lighter too.Military think thanks must also think several steps
Ceramics, sapphire, and all sorts of other materialahead of the game and a decade or more into the
have been attempted, some used, some not, today,future; for instance a question to ask yourself might
Kevlar is still the gold standard, that is with a littlebe; Do you think it is possible to build a one-man
extra ceramic magic, as they say.underwater craft - assisted propulsion device, which
Not long ago our think tank had considered that sincecan surface and then fly off the surface, which has
blood enzymes help break down carbon graphenefull body armor, and can run near silent, with vertical
material, that it might be problematic for future use,or near vertical landing capability?
even if it seems a natural material to use for militaryHow would you go about that?
body armor? In the future our forces will havePlease consider all this.