The race of the first combat-ready exoskeletons just got a bit more crowded. Whilst we expect such developments from developed countries and the big three (U.S., Russia, and China), sometimes we get surprised by developments from where we least expect it. In this case, from the country of Ghana a middle income country in Africa, also a football powerhouse in the continent.

According to Graphic Online, during the 38th annual Technology Exhibition of the Kantanka Group in Accra last 6 January, the group paraded what looks like to be the largest and perhaps the tallest armoured vehicle in the world and is equipped with a laser rangefinder.  But what is more interesting is a trio of troopers that are wearing what look like to be Iron Man suits.

These suits, or more  known as exoskeletons, are designed to augment the capabilities of their wearers, allowing them to carry heavier loads and go to longer distances without causing any injury and protect the body. The Kantanka Group “Exoskeletons” show more heavily armoured men as compared to the exoskeleton projects in other countries such as the U.S. wherein the exoskeletons are more contraptions to augment rather than act as armour for the soldiers.

The soldiers in the video from Trends GH can sure walk with the load but they are not as agile as expected for soldiers to go into combat. They raise further questions about the armour qualities and armament as we see rifles slung to their backs. They also have helmets though they may not have HUDs (Heads Up Displays) much less have Jarvis as their personal digital assistant. Apart from the parade, there is not much information about these exoskeletons.

t’ll be interesting to know about their capabilities and if they are as formidable as they look, they can be game changers in the battlefield. But for now, Tony Stark can rest easy.

The armoured vehicle in the background is just massive, like a land battleship. It is cavernous inside that it might be able to squeeze in a platoon of fully armed soldiers. It is fully airconditioned though it does not have a turret so a gunner can safely fire from the inside.

It’s profile may not make it tactically viable when military vehicle designers always opt to go for a lower profile look. It might just be a magnet for RPGs and anti-tank weapons as it can be easily spotted from afar.

Nevertheless, it is interesting to see efforts of countries such as Ghana to develop their own local military industries. Their designs may not meet NATO requirements but they may just be more than enough for their local requirements, which is usually going against insurgents, terrorists, and coup plotters. 

Source: popularairsoft.com