Infantryman of the Future
The "Infantryman of the Future" is modular, state-of-the art combat equipment. It is meant to reduce the stress-exposure of the dismounted soldier and to enhance his performance in the following areas:
- Lethality
- Survivability
- Command and control capability
- Mobility and
- Sustainability
The intention is to maximize the use commercial components. However, the use of already introduced equipment is to be continued. The modular design permits multiple uses (also in other branches of service). Furthermore, future technological progress can be achieved faster by exchanging or adding modules. Moreover, changing needs can be taken into account more quickly. The "Infantryman of the Future" combat equipment includes approx. twenty equipment components from the areas:
- Clothing and personal equipment
- Electronics
- Optronics and
- Weapons
The most important innovations include for instance:
- Modular protective and load carrying system
- UHF radio set with GPS
- PDA with digital map
- Digital camera
- New concept for individual weapons with:
- Long-range rifle G82
- Light machine gun MG4
- New cooled thermal imaging device HuntIR and
- Close-in defense weapon MP7 as well as
- New protective equipment against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
Initially, six infantry sections (one section consists of 10 soldiers) were equipped between 2001 and 2003. First operational tests were carried out with these sets so that another 15 section sets could be procured in 2004 for the ISAF mission. According to the future procurement plan, 196 section sets are to be acquired between 2005 and 2007.
