M2 Exoskeleton
The M2 Exoskeleton is a further development in Commonwealther infantry powered armor technology. It was developed, having taken lessons learned from the prior M1 Exoskeleton program, for the Commonwealth Defense Force, and especially the infantry forces of the Proletarian Guard. The M2 is the first armor set designed as a powered exoskeleton.
Design
Armor
The basic layout of the armor pieces in the M2 suit is made up of individual pieces that are comprised of ballistic platelets suspended in ballistically resistant gel, encased in a lightweight ceramic plate, (or spider silk Kevlar mesh for pieces that need to be flexible). The Ceramic plates are interspersed over a lightweight suit of a slightly ballistically resistant cloth. The weakest plates (limbs) are capable of withstanding a 6.8x43mm FMJ shot at 2,260 ft/s, the strongest(torso head capable) capable of withstanding a 7.62x51mm FMJ shot at 2,780 ft/s. The under suit is capable of protecting against fragmentation effects. Additionally, a properly worn and functioning suit can serve to protect the user from the effects of most biological, chemical, and radiological weapons. To put the armor on one must put on the under suit and then climb into the hard suit, which opens via a clam shell opening in the back. The helmet is a vertical clam shell coming down around the head and then sealing. The entire suit weighs roughly 21.5 kg
The M2 Exoskeleton is a piece of powered armor operating through a series of artificial muscles bound just underneath the armor plates of the hard suit. These artificial muscles run by amplifying the users motions, allowing for increased performance. Additionally, the artificial muscles are set up to carry the weight of the armor, so that the user may act unencumbered. This system is powered via the kinetic energy (motion) of the user, as well as the user's bioelectric field, the current of which is transmitted thanks to a series of electric nodes implanted in the users dermal layer. If the system operates appropriately it should remain powered indefinitely.
Integral Electronics
The M2 is, much like the older M1 suit networked into the CODFOR Battle net. A very compact central computer is responsible for running the user's HUD and communications system, through the CODFOR standard infantry communications suite. The HUD has access and may display navigational information the status of flagged friendly units, as well as the status and targeting information of tracked hostile units, as well as information about the user's network enabled weapons. All information can be brought up and sent away through sub vocal, vocal, or eye movement commands. The Computer also relays information to the Battle Net, to assist other networked devices. Communications are provided by means of a small radio located in the helmet, this small short range radio can send and receive vocal and sub vocal communications.
All electronic systems that are to be powered by the M2 are powered via a small power pack located on the back of a hard suit. This power pack provides power to all nonessential systems. The life of a single power pack is dependent on the number and function of electronics being used on a suit of M2 Armor. With just the Communications and Information Suite, a single power pack will be able to operate for 72 hours of constant function. Power packs are generally chargeable on board Commonwealther Infantry Carrying Vehicles, or at any Forward Operating Base operated by a Commonwealther force. However in case neither of these options are available, it is common practice to carry additional power packs, as they are fairly easily changed in the field.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics of the M2 Exoskeleton, being essentially an entire full body suit of armor were and extremely important concern. Early conceptions of the armor were lacking in the ergonomic department, as users of the prototype suits had a constant complaint about the M2 being hot and uncomfortable to wear. Later prototypes had improved conditions significantly, but had not completely eliminated them. As of the production model, the M2 Exoskeleton improves the user's comfort by having made the under suit more comfortable and resistant to minor abrasions. The hard suit itself has a small climate control system that keeps the worst of the heat (From the user's body, and from the suit's operation) at bay, which can be shut off to conserve power supplies. This system is far from perfect but has substantially improved the comfort of the user.
Accessories
The M2 Exoskeleton, being designed from the ground up to operate as a powered exoskeleton (unlike the M1 which merely had the option to serve as one), has a wider array of options to give some variation to the operation of a functioning suit, to allow for a more varied mission profile for a small team of users. There are two means that the M2 accepts accessories. The first of which is the hookup for a MOSES web belt. This web belt is sized appropriately to the slightly greater bulk of an M2 exoskeleton and serves to carry any essential goods that a soldier may want to carry into an operation, as well as to function as a base for a full MOSES system.
The other of accessory loading system is a series of hard points located on the back, shoulders, and wrists/arms of the hard suit. These hardpoints (and the corresponding bionodes under the skin) are then hooked up and controlled via the M2 Exoskeleton's computer system. Powered Systems are draw power from the suit's power pack. As of the current day, most of the hard point systems are intended to be weapons platforms allowing an infantry squad the same heavy weapons firepower that would normally only be allowed at the company level, and to allow the individual soldier greater effective fire power. An M2 Exoskeleton has one back hard point, two shoulder hard points, and two wrist hard points. There is talk of further hard points in future suits, but any modification will only occur after the suit has seen practical use.
Back Mounted Systems
Currently there two systems that make use of back hard points, that have been tested and approved for use by the War Ministry, and one currently under testing and development.
- M2EBMM1 Cloaking Device: The BMM1 Cloaking Device is a modification that when active, projects an image of the space behind the suit, as well as spoofing infrared sensors, rendering an operator nearly invisible to most visual means of detection. The Cloaking Device does nothing however, to reduce noise generated by the operator, and drains the suit's power cell at an extraordinary rate.
- M2EBMM2 Folding Wing System: The BMM2 Folding Wing System is a pair of wings mounted on the back of the suit that allow for periods of unpowered glide, allowing for greater tactical mobility. When not in use the wings may be folded into a much more compact form enabling the user to move around in tight quarters while not in use. Folding or unfolding the wings takes roughly twenty seconds, and does use a small amount of power.
- M2EBMM3X Fusion Power Generator: The BMM3X Fusion Power Generator represents the pinnacle of fusion technology as it stands in the Commonwealth. It is a small (backpack sized) "Warm" Fusion reactor to be mounted on the user's back. If used, the Fusion Power Generator should theoretically extend the life of the suit's power cell indefinitely. However, due to the nature of the power generator, the module is undergoing thorough field, stress, and safety testing to ensure that it will be extremely resistant to critical failures, and will not cause the heat death of the operator.
Shoulder Mounted Systems
- M2ESMM1 Solar Panel Charging System: The SMM1 is a module that planes a pair of solar cells on each of the operator's shoulders. This module uses up both off a user's shoulder hard points. It does however extend the life of the batteries by recharging batteries from solar energy. While it does not completely recharge the power cell indefinitely it does extend the life of the cell by as much as a factor of two.
- M2ESMM2 Shoulder Mounted Heavy Weapons Pod: The SMM3 Shoulder Mounted Heavy Weapons Pod is a module that allows the user to carry a larger, heavy weapon that has been modified. This enables the individual to carry a weapon that would normally be issued at the company level. A user must however be braced before firing the weapon, so as to avoid the injury of the user. The weapon is on a fixed mount and is fired by vocal command of the computer. Currently the weapons that have been modified for use with SMM3 Module are the M3 LATW, Mk7 LAAD, and Mk5 SATGM.
- M2ESMM3 Mini Rocket Pod: The SMM4 module is a small rack of 5 Mk11 'Widowmaker' Mini Rockets mounted on a shoulder. These rockets can be tracked to various targets by the computer and can be fired as singular rockets or as multiple in volley. They are fired by vocal command to the computer. Rockets are generally equipped with explosive warheads, with one High Explosive Wall Breacher (HEWB) type for destroying segments of wall, among more mundane types.
- M2ESMM4 Shoulder Mounted Laser Designator: The SMM5 is a simple Laser designator that uses power from the suit's power cell. It can be used to guide laser guided weapons to target. The Designator is mounted on an articulated mount. It is often used in tandem with a SMM3 to act as a backup guidance system for one of the guided missile systems.
Wrist Mounted System
- M2EWMM1 Wrist Mounted Light Weapon Pod: The WM1 is a module that mounts a modified light personal weapon onto the side of the users arm from the wrist hard point. This the weapon is stripped down to minimize the bulk of the pod. The weapon is tracked manually, and can be fired either from vocal command or manually. The weapons that are mounted by the the WMM1 are the AR3PDW, the AR5PDW, and the SA2 Service Pistol [[1]].
- M2WMM2 Wrist Mounted Blade: The WM2 is a module that installs an eighteen inch blade on the user's arm. This blade is connected can extend or retract by vocal command of the user, and can be made to rapidly vibrate, slicing through most materials given enough time, at the expense of draining the suit's power supply.
- M2WMM3 Wrist Mounted Laser Designator: The WMM3 is is a simple Laser designator that uses power from the suit's power cell. It can be used to guide laser guided weapons to target. It is often used in tandem with a SMM3 to act as a backup guidance system for one of the guided missile systems.
- M2WMM4X Fusion Gun, Man Portable: Designed as a compliment to the Back Mounted Fusion Power Generator, the Fusion Gun, Man Portable is designed as an alternative weapon system for the destruction of heavy hostile assets. The weapon is physically hooked into the Fusion Power Generator where it taps into the energy produced by the power unit, and directs it in a focused beam that, when striking a target would cause a destructive subatomic reaction. Currently this module is only in the very earliest testing phase, as its related component hasn't entered service, and the method of power transfer and firing are still in development. It is unlikely that this module will enter service before 2070, and probably later.
Deployment
The M2 Exoskeleton is on the early stages of deployment throughout the Commonwealth Defense Force. The M2 was adopted recently, in 2062, however several issues have delayed its full deployment. The great expense of suits (over $150,000 per suit not counting most modules), and the long time it takes to train a potential operator means that the Commonwealth cannot simply reequip the entirety of the units are scheduled to receive them over a short period of time. Instead units have been rotated out on a priority basis retrained and then reequipped. As it stands the Special Forces of the Proletarian Guard, the Commonwealth Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams, and the Commonwealth Air Force's Combat Search and Rescue, as well as the 1st Corps of the Proletarian Guard, are all fully equipped with the system, and steady progress is being made toward equipping the remaining Active Guard units with the suit. When all is said and done, the M2 is expected to see service in all of the Commonwealth Defense Force's infantry forces by 2070.
