MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. Small size attack drones and also robots and exoskeletons will be integrated with Russia's new generation soldier gear, the commander of ground forces, General of the Army Oleg Salyukov told the government-published Rossiiskaya Gazeta in an interview.

"One of the current research and development projects, being carried out at the request of the ground forces' command, envisages creation of a new generation combat gear incorporating elements that enhance the personnel's physical abilities, such as combat and special exoskeletons, and the integration of combat and support robots as well as reconnaissance and attack drones of small and mini class," Salyukov said.

Such equipment will enhance each soldier's situational awareness, facilitate the performance of combat missions and minimize the level of physical effort and risks to life.

Earlier, the Russian corporation Rostec said that the new generation combat gear Sotnik, being developed by one of its affiliates - the Central Scientific-Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering TasNIItochMash - will incorporate micro-drones, connected with a tactical level automated command system. Images from its cameras will be projected to the helmet's visor or protective glasses. The corporation said nothing about plans for integrating attack drones with the new generation combat gear, though.

Research and development for the new generation gear will last from 2020 to 2023. In 2025, the Sotnik is scheduled to replace the Ratnik. It is expected that the Sotnik combat gear will consist of totally new ammunition and firearms, landmine-proof boots, a special thermal suit making the soldier invisible to infrared sensors, and an antiradar suit. Commands, maps of the terrain and other crucial information will be displayed on electronic eyeglasses.

The Sotnik will be 20% lighter than the Ratnik - about 20 kilograms. A chromogenic electroactive material, capable of changing color in accordance with the color of the terrain and the environment, will guarantee excellent camouflage parameters. For the first time the material's prototype was displayed at the forum Army-2018.