FRONTLINE Resources

As the premiere future of public security within the United States, FRONTLINE is a peace-keeping force armed with the best and brightest Evolved military personnel available. To compliment their skills and capabilities, members of FRONTLINE are outfitted with cutting edge military hardware developed as a part of the US Military's Future Force Warrior program. Below, is a listing of some of the advanced military hardware available to FRONTLINE.

Project Horizon Full-Spectrum Combat Armor

Project Horizon is the brain-child of the Natick Soldier Center and comprises elements of a wide variety of the US Military's Future Force Warrior projects. The resulting amalgamation of interconnected communications and intelligence systems and personal protection is a lightweight overwhelmingly lethal, fully integrated combat system including head to toe individual protection, ad-hoc networking, soldier worn power sources, and enhanced human performance. The program is aimed at providing unsurpassed individual and small team lethality, survivability, communications and responsiveness — a formidable warrior in an invincible team.

Horizon Combat Armor

The Horizon Combat Armor is currently being tested with FRONTLINE, in preparation for a 2020 rollout across all spectrums of United States Armed Forces. The armor is a cutting-edge test of the most advanced self-protection systems currently in development. Listed below are the basic outfittings of FRONTLINE's Horizon Combat Armor:

• Helmet - The helmet houses a GPS receiver , radio and the wide- and local-area network connections.
• Warrior Physiological Status Monitoring System - This layer of the suit is the closest to the body and contains sensors that monitor physiological indicators, such as heart rate , blood pressure and hydration. The suit relays the information to medics and field commanders.
• Liquid Body Armor - This liquid body armor is made from magnetorheological fluid, a fluid that remains in a liquid state until the application of a magnetic field. When an electrical pulse is applied, the armor transitions from a soft state to a rigid state in thousandths of a second.
• Exoskeleton - The exoskeleton is made of lightweight, composite devices that attach to the legs and augment the soldier's strength by increasing effective carrying capacity by more evenly distributing weight across the soldier's body, allowing for additional joint support and strength. This exoskeleton design allows a FRONTLINE soldier to lift 1.5 times their normal capacity for max weight.

Powering the entire suit is a 2- to 20-watt microturbine generator fueled by a liquid hydrocarbon. A plug-in cartridge containing 10 ounces of fuel can power the soldier's uniform for up to six days. Battery patches embedded in the helmet provide three hours of back-up power.

Together, these subsystems combine to create a uniform that informs, protects and enhances the abilities of its wearer. Now let's take of each of these components separately.

Horizon Helmet Details

The helmet has 360-degree situational awareness and voice amplification based thanks to the suits being networked together, allowing each member of FRONTLINE to know the exact position and location of one of their fellow soldiers thanks to a tag icon on their heads up display within their helmets. This display indicates an arrow in the direction of the soldier, an estimation of distance in meters, and the unit's name.

The situation-awareness system links FRONTLINE members up to a kilometer in distance from their mobile operations center or from Factory 17.

Horizon Armor Details

The type of MR fluid utilized in the Horizon Armor consists of small iron particles suspended in silicon oil. The oil prevents the particles from rusting. The fluid transforms from liquid to solid in just milliseconds when a magnetic field or electrical current is applied to it. The current causes the iron particles to lock into a uniform polarity and stack on top of each other, creating an impenetrable shield. How hard the substance becomes depends on the strength of the magnetic field or electrical current. Once the charge or magnetic field is removed, the particles unlock, and the substance goes back to a fluid state.

MR fluid will fill small pockets in the Horizon Armor uniform fabric. The uniforms will be wired to allow an electrical current to pass through the fabric. The electrical current will be controlled by the onboard computer system and will automatically charge the MR fluid when there is a ballistic threat present.

Horizon Exoskeleton Details

The Horizon Exoskeleton enhances and augments a FRONTLINE soldier's baseline physical capability and strength, affording them a unique level of physical capability and performance. Below is an outline of the exo-skeleton's capabilities:

• Increase strength: FRONTLINE soldiers will be able to carry more weapons and supplies. By increasing strength, soldiers will also be able to remove large obstacles from their path while marching. It will also enable them to wear heavier body armor and other ballistic protection. The light-frame exo-skeleton developed for FRONTLINE allows a wearer to exert 1.5 times their normal weight capacity.

Horizon Communications System

FRONTLINE members utilize a voice-activated, drop-down screen in the helmet to access information without having to put down their weapons. Embedded in the visor of their helmets, the display will appear to the soldier as a 17-inch screen. This screen can display maps and real-time video provided by a FRONTLINE Command in their mobile base, or at their centralized headquatyers at Factory 17.

The physiological subsystem of the uniform lies against the soldier's skin and includes sensors that monitor soldier's core body temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, body position (standing or sitting) and hydration levels. These statistics are monitored by the soldier and by medics and commanding officers who might be miles away. Knowing the condition of a platoon of soldiers allows commanders to make better strategic decisions. The Future Force Warrior helmet also includes a GPS receiver, providing commanders with exact positioning data on their troops.

The Horizon Communication Subsystem collects information on the vital signs (core temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, blood pressure) hydration state, stress level (mouth sensors), thermal state, sleep status, and workload capacity of the warrior. The WPSM can also recommend remote triage care needed.

FRONTLINE Mobile Command, the GPV Colonel

The General Purpose Vehicles (GPV) company, based in New Haven, Michigan, has developed a system of wheeled medium tactical vehicles, which include a family of trucks and a family of armored personnel carriers speicifically for the FRONTLINE project. FRONTLINE New York has acquired two GPV Colonels for use as mobile command stations during security engagements.

The GPV Colonel can accommodate various weapon systems, including one- or two-man turrets and remotely controlled weapon stations. FRONTLINE's GPV is not outfitted with external weaponry, and is designed solely as a defense operations station, or in emergencies civilian evacuation.

The GPV has a maximum road speed of 80 miles per hour, and the armoured hull provides 360° protection. The deep V-shaped hull base deflects the blast from large anti-tank mines. The wheel wells have deflecting contoured surfaces and blast openings to vent blast away. The individual suspension components are mounted to break free in a blast to reduce acceleration into the hull. The vehicle has ingress and egress doors on both sides, large rear doors and hatches at the driver and co-driver stations.

The forward crew area or "cockpit" can accommodate up to six personnel. A passageway around the engine compartment allows access between the cockpit and the rear compartment. The driver and commander seats and the binnacle unit (comprising the tilt adjustable and telescopic steering wheel, driving controls, brake and accelerator pedals and parking brake) are height adjustable for open or closed hatch operation. The binnacle has a slide adjustment for changing between right and left hand steering at any speed. The drivers can alternate while on the move without interruption.

The cockpit has thirteen panoramic periscopes for forward vision. The periscopes are fitted with wipers and air blast cleaners. The displays of four external thermal cameras and four external optical cameras are located in the cockpit area. The two 15in flat panel screens can display four camera views simultaneously, using a split screen display or full screen view from the selected cameras.

The cockpit is equipped with a global positioning system, fleet tracking system and an on-board computer. Vehicle service records and manuals files can be displayed on the screens. The Overhead Display Panel (ODP) offers a complete diagnostics system for operating and maintaining the vehicle. The vehicle is fitted with wire cutters to protect roof-mounted equipment and driver and co-driver during open hatch driving. The exterior wire cutters and mirrors are electronically controlled and hydraulically driven and can be folded in to prevent damage or for stealth operations.

The rear cabin seats up to ten personnel with space for gear and equipment stowage. Both the front and rear crew areas are heated and air-conditioned with separate area controls. A nuclear biological and chemical warfare over-pressure filtration system, together with a carbon filter bank, is installed on the vehicle.

Each FRONTLINE member's personalized Horizon Armor system is designed to integrate with the Colonel mobile command station, serving as a hub for their networked suits.