#FutureSoldierSystem

NATO’s “Powered Rail Team”, consisting of 11 nations working on the common goal of bringing forward a STANAG (NATO standardization document) for a Powered Accessory Rail for small firearms, is starting to pay off.

In the development and testing phases since at least 2004, the German Ministry of Defense has purchased enough IdZ-ES (Infanterist der Zukunft-Infantryman of the future, also know as Gladius) Future Soldier Systems to outfit 68 platoons of mechanized infantry/2,460 soldiers, or roughly a reinforced regiment with the systems.The Gladius system is a wearable, integrated fighting system that allows individual soldiers greater opportunities on the battlefield to communicate, coordinate, and fight more efficiently. Unit leaders receive versions that allow better command and control via the ability to monitor friendly forces in real time. It runs off of a central battery pack mounted to the back of the load bearing equipment and is fitted around ballistic armor and even NBC requirements. Included with this suite are LAM devices and thermal optics for the G36 service rifle, in addition to a push to talk button mounted on the rifle itself so soldiers can stay on target or not give away their status of communicating to the enemy while on operations. UAV integration is also a key component, allowing commanders to view UAV feeds in real time. Central to the entire system is the ability to be “tethered” to the sectioned “home base” armored personnel carrier.

The Sudanese military have selected the Chinese QBZ-97 bullpup for their Future Soldier System. The Sudanese military have been using Chinese weapon for a while now and those including: Type 96 main battle tank, HJ-8 anti-tank missile, Type 56 and Type 81 rifles, CQ rifle (copy of the M16A1), QJZ-89 50-cal heavy machine gun, M99 50-cal sniper rifle and the QLZ-87 automatic grenade launcher. Sudan is also the main middle-man in trafficking Chinese arms into the Syrian Civil War.