‘Ratnik’ system improving the battle space situation awareness, connectivity, survivability and combat effectiveness of Russian Army

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.

 

Some of the missions the soldiers perform can take weeks, away from in difficult terrain like deserts and mountains which requires maintaining an incredibly high level of physical fitness. Around the world, armies are recognizing the importance of maximizing the effectiveness of Soldiers physically, perceptually, and cognitively.

 

Ratnik (Russian: Ратник; Warrior) is a Russian future infantry combat system. It is designed to improve the connectivity and combat effectiveness of combat personnel in the Russian Armed Forces. Improvements include modernised body armour, a helmet with a special eye monitor (thermal, night vision monocular, flashlight), communication systems, and special headphones. It includes 10 subsystems and 59 individual items. As of October 2016, it has already seen in combat use.

 

The first generation of Ratnik system prototypes was reportedly distributed to select units in 2013 and was spotted by The New York Times being worn by unmarked Russian units in Crimea shortly after Moscow annexed the former Ukrainian territory in 2014.

 

All the equipment of Ratnik (firearms, body armour, optic, communication and navigation devices, medical, and power supply systems, as well as uniform items such as knee and elbow pads) were tested and accepted into service in the Russian Armed Forces on 23 October 2014. About 200,000 Ratnik sets have been delivered as of September 2017, and it is expected that 100% of the Russian Armed Forces will be equipped with Ratnik gear by 2020.

 

For the Russian Navy and Engineering Troops, the bulletproof vest is combined with a life vest, so that soldiers and sailors who are thrown into the water won’t drown. All Naval Infantry units were equipped with Ratnik gear as of November 2016.

 

“Ratnik” protects almost 90% of soldier’s body. Basic “Ratnik” (for engineers and medics) weighs 15 kg ( without thigh and shoulder guards) while full “Ratnik” equipment with the special thigh and shoulder bulletproof shields weighs 19-20 kilograms.

 

Russia is working on third generation Ratnik gear now. Third generation equipment is looking to include combat exoskeletons. “We are completing the scientific research on creating the future layout of the Ratnik-3 combat gear. The implementation of the project will allow increasing the performance of a soldier by 1.5 times in completing various tasks,” Salyukov told Russia Defense Ministry newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda in comments translated by Tass.