The vision for the future soldier is to be combat effective and also highly mobile, adaptive, networked, sustainable with total battle space situation awareness and information assurance. Therefore, he is equipped with night- vision goggles, radios, smartphones, GPS, infrared sights, a laptop as well as batteries to power them. He is also burdened with ammunition, gear interface, body armor, boots, weapons and water. The weight carried by today’s Army infantry fighters or “marching load” is more than 120-pounds, and can reach as much as 132-pounds.
The DARPA has identified “reducing the soldier’s logistic burden” as one of its key scientific and technological priority. Towards this end, DARPA placed a $32 million, two-and-a-half-year contract Google Inc.’s Boston Dynamics, of Waltham, Massachusetts to develop a robotic mule. The mule also called “AlphaDog” is able to carry 400 pounds (181 kgs) of backpacks and other equipment for up to 20 miles over 24 hours. Its barrel shaped body allows it to roll over if it falls. DARPA also envisions it as a mobile recharging station for US troops.
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