MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. Russia’s Rostec corporation is working on the fourth and follow-up generations of the Ratnik infantry combat suit. The Ratnik line of products includes powered exoskeletons, micro-drones and artificial intelligence systems, the industrial director of the conventional weapons, ammunition and special chemicals cluster, Sergei Abramov, told TASS. 

"The work on next generation gear is continuing. We have a sufficient R&D reserve for this. Possibly there will be some robotized systems integrating artificial intelligence with human capabilities. Research is in progress into using powered exoskeletons, micro-drones and new weapons," Abramov said.

He remarked that science fiction authors often predicted where progress in science and engineering would go. Science fiction works offer a conceptual notion of what the Ratnik-4 would look like, he added.

Just recently, TsNIItoshMash (an affiliate of Rostec) completed research into the Ratnik-3 soldier gear and presented its results to the Defense Ministry in order to obtain recommendations and a contract for work on its further development.

The Ratnik-3 is a fundamentally new set of equipment in terms protection, combat capabilities, life support, control and power supply. According to earlier reports, its configuration will be the same for airborne and ground forces.

The Ratnik-3’s visor will have a laser aiming system. In addition, the active exoskeleton will increase the capabilities of the soldier’s locomotor system.