From 1959’s "Soldier of the Future" to Today’s Modern Warrior: A Technological Retrospective
The year is 1959. A vision of the future soldier, clad in futuristic armor and wielding advanced weaponry, is presented at the Army’s Association of the United States Army (AUSA) annual meeting. This projection, embodied by a model named Ben Sawicki, showcased a glimpse into what military leaders envisioned for the future of ground combat. Sixty-five years later, we can examine the degree to which this vision has manifested in reality, revealing fascinating insights into technological progress and persistent challenges in military innovation.
The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS): A Futuristic Vision, Present-Day Challenges
One key element of Sawicki’s portrayal was the helmet-mounted display, a precursor to today’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS). The current iteration, based on the Microsoft HoloLens 2, aims to provide soldiers with a blended reality experience, integrating night vision with a heads-up display that overlays sensor data directly onto the soldier’s field of view. This represents a significant advance over previous attempts at helmet-mounted displays, incorporating many years of experimentation from past “future warrior” programs.
However, the IVAS has not been without its issues. Reports of "mission-affecting physical impairments," including headaches, nausea, and neck pain, highlight the challenges of prolonged use with this technology. This underscores the crucial need to consider human factors engineering in the development of military technology. Soldiers must not only have advanced tools, but also be able to use them effectively and comfortably without compromising their performance. The future of the program itself seems uncertain, with reports suggesting that the Army may even reconsider its partnership with Microsoft and explore a new primary contractor under the IVAS Next initiative. This pivot emphasizes the iterative nature of military technological development; even seemingly advanced systems require constant refinement and adaptation. Further, the Army’s recent audit of its existing night vision goggle capabilities before the IVAS Next competition indicates that even fundamental equipment choices are subject to reassessment and potential upgrades.
Armor Up: Evolution of Soldier Protection
Sawicki’s ensemble featured a "layered nylon armor" and camouflage suit that was notably more advanced than the flak jackets used during the Vietnam War. This corresponds to the present-day Soldier Protection System (SPS), a modular and scalable suite of protective equipment designed to maximize survivability without sacrificing mobility. This system includes a soft armor Torso and Extremity Protection subsystem and a hard armor Vital Torso Protection subsystem with ceramic plates, offering improved ballistic protection against small arms fire.
The 1959 vision also addressed protection against nuclear, biological, and radiological (all part of the CBRN threat matrix) events. While the Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear provides protection against these threats, it’s a separate system, not integrated into the SPS or standard combat uniform. The vision’s inclusion of specially designed boots and gloves highlights this aspect, even if modern soldiers must rely on separately acquired CBRN gear rather than integrated, inherently protective uniforms. The reality, however, is that the effectiveness of even the most advanced protective gear in the face of widespread nuclear attacks would ultimately be limited.
Bullet Time: The Evolution of Small Arms
Sawicki’s depiction included the prominent M14 rifle, while current American soldiers predominantly carry the M4 carbine, a testament to the evolution of small arms technology. Though earlier attempts to replace the M16 family of rifles proved difficult, the promise of a lighter standard-issue rifle was largely fulfilled. However, the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program, which adopted the Sig Sauer 6.8 mm rifle, shows that even today’s most advanced systems can deviate from simplicity expectations. The XM7 rifle, while offering improved performance, is notably heavier than its predecessor, the M4 carbine, presenting a trade-off between firepower and soldier burden.
This evolution also includes ammunition. The Army’s fielding of the M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round and its subsequent undertaking of the major small arms studies ultimately culminating in the 6.8mm NGSW rounds represents a significant advance in firearm efficacy. This demonstrates that, while the promise of "new high-velocity bullets" was partially met long ago, the continuous drive for improved lethality and battlefield effectiveness results in ongoing innovation within the small arms arena. These more recent developments reflect a transition towards 6.8 mm ammunition, chosen after extensive analysis revealed a need for better performance against modern body armor used by adversaries.
Rocket Man: The Enduring Dream of Personal Flight
Perhaps the most visually striking and ultimately unrealized aspect of Sawicki’s portrayal was the jetpack. While the Bell Rocket Belt, famously demonstrated for President Kennedy, proved the feasibility of personal rocket propulsion, its fuel constraints limited its practical military application. Despite this, the concept of jetpack-equipped troops has repeatedly resurfaced within the military and defense sectors, with research and development persisting throughout the years. The challenges of carrying enough fuel for sufficient flight time and ensuring the system’s survivability and safety for soldiers continue to prove substantial hurdles to its widespread adoption. While the technology continues to advance, fully practical military application remains elusive. Ultimately, the concept, while undeniably exciting, remains less achievable than other technological advances depicted in the 1959 vision.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Innovation and Unmet Challenges
The comparison between the 1959 vision of the "soldier of tomorrow" and the modern warrior highlights both remarkable progress and persistent challenges in military technological development. Many aspects of Sawicki’s portrayal, such as improved body armor, sophisticated weaponry, and advanced visual systems, have become a reality, though often with complexities and unintended consequences. Other elements, such as automatic foxhole diggers and jetpacks, remain mainly conceptual, illustrating the limitations of even the most ambitious projections.
The story of the IVAS, in particular, shows the cyclical nature of technological advancement—the drive for seamless integration of advanced technologies with the practical constraints of real-world deployment constantly in tension. This continuous refinement, characterized by iterations, upgrades, and occasional setbacks, is a defining aspect of military technological development. The 1959 vision serves as a powerful reminder of technology’s continuing evolution, highlighting both the impressive advancements achieved and the persistent hurdles faced in bridging the gap between ambitious visions and practical realities. It drives home the point that, while predicting the future of warfare is challenging, the constant iterative process of innovation, coupled with understanding human factors in design and deployment, remains crucial to developing truly effective equipment for the soldiers of today and tomorrow.
