Video games IRL.
"Cybernetic infantryman" is a generic Gallan military term for any "digitally enhanced" soldier. It would apply to a soldier with a personal role radio or cell phone, but not to a soldier with a powered exoskeleton or night vision goggles, unless the exoskeleton or night vision goggles allowed distant communication through digital packet exchange. Confusingly, the similar term "cybernetically enhanced" would properly refer to a soldier wearing a powered exoskeleton, but not night vision goggles. Normal people would just call it "information technology" or something dumb though.
The Type 15 "Kitten" battle dress ensemble is shown, in its "version 2" edition, as well as flame-resistant undergarments. It comprises the Electronic Battle Vest (EBV), which is a modified version of the
m/90 load bearing vest designed with an integrated rear pocket/pouch which holds the computing system of the Kitten battle dress; the Electronic Battle Helmet (EBH) which is a modified
Sh90 kevlar helmet or Sh90V (Vagn, cf. "stridsvagn") combat vehicle crewman helmet with improved fibers, padding, and liner; and the
Skyddsvast m/90T (Heavy) "Goalkeeper",
Skyddsvast m/90L (Light) "Linebacker", or Sv90V "Fullback" kevlar vests. The lightweight
Sv95 "Shortstop" body armor is not officially listed as a component of the Type 15 ensemble, but is known to be used by Gallan paratroopers and air assault troops.
The computer component comprises a generic software radio, the computer core which runs a Unix-based kernel under a military OS on a Gallan Business Machines (aka "Big Blue") lightweight computer sporting a 65nm "broadband engine" radiation hardened CPU, a battery life of 12-20 hours depending on use (vice 8-16 hours of 1.0), and generic accessories which include militarized computer tablets (without wireless networking capability), an external PCMCIA socket for updating the computer over wire (usually these are locked and kept under armed guard at least), armored vehicles, etc.
The image above details a future mechanized infantry section equipped with the Kitten 2.0 system.
The future Gallan soldier carries the .195 caliber Ak95C assault rifle with the
AM/PSK-10 integrated image intensifier and FLIR scope, also used on the .223 caliber Ak58. The PSS-10 is a combined sensor digital sight that can transmit images to the soldier's helmet-mounted display for "shoot behind cover" capability. The PSK-10 can be used with the AM/PSS-7D and AM/PSS-14 combined night sight headset, which mounts a clip-on infrared imaging system and an autogated 3rd generation image intensifier tube, to provide a
"picture-in-picture" capability for close combat night fighting "from the hip". The machinegunner is armed with a Ksp95C light machine gun, holding 300 rounds of ammunition, with another 1,800 rounds in reserve. It uses the same .195" diameter cartridge as the Ak95C.
Other sights in Gallan inventory are the
AM/PAS-4L (Light), an individual thermal imaging sight with an effective detection range out to 700 meters for men or 1.25 kilometers for vehicles. Machine gun teams (using the .265 caliber (6.5x55mm) Ksp m/60E light machine gun) are equipped with the AM/PAS-4M (Medium) thermal weapon sight. It adds a hefty ~2 kilograms to the machine gun, but extends the detection range of moving vehicles out to 2.5 km in good weather, and 1 km for moving humans. Finally, the PAS-4T (Heavy) thermal sight is used by gunners of heavy crew-served weapons such as grenade launchers, .50 caliber machine guns, and anti-materiel rifles.
Because of socially enforced modesty in Gallan culture, emissions are limited solely to a push-to-talk personal role radio, the issuing of which is highly contentious within the Gallan military for a variety of reasons. All connections are made through fiber optic cables on the sights and weapons.
The helmet mounted display is limited to weapon sight output for most ensembles. Other ensembles incorporate different features depending on the needs of their environments. The Kitten ensemble concept rapidly diverges from conventional definitions after reaching battalion level, with the only thing remaining being the name, to the point that entirely different arms of the state industry are responsible for developing them. At that point, the "ensemble" is "worn" by an armoured vehicle, while the actual soldiers wear only battle dress and pistol belts.
The Kitten Type 21F is the "infantry" (Mekskytte and Motskytte) model, which lacks the "tracking" output and moving map display. It is essentially an advanced battle vest and night fighting scopes. The Type 21L1 is the "small unit leader" model, which incorporates a digital, software defined radio with a limited output and some tracking features. Type 21L2 is the "platoon leader" variant, which incorporates support for man-packed software radios, full unit tracking and moving map display, and a digital touchpad for fire support requests. Vehicle mounted versions include the Type 21K which is used by armoured infantry (Pansarskytte) and tank crewmen, -LK1 (used by armoured infantry and tank platoon leaders), Type 21LFK1, and Type 21LFK2.
-LFK1 is the company commander version, which has support for vehicle software radios and allows some edits to the moving map, and expediting requests for fire support. It is the last version of Kitten that is actually worn by a human being, and requires the company commander to be "plugged in" to his vehicle through a fiber optic port located on the radio.
-LFK2 is the battalion commander version, which identical to the company commander variant sans invisible software changes. An -LFK1 battle dress can be rapidly "converted" to an -LFK2 battle dress by inserting the "Battalion Command Suite" PCMCIA card into the software port of the electronic battle vest. It supports all software radios and allows for planning of fire support missions directly with all battalion level guns and mortars.
Type 21LFK/R is the ultimate version of the Kitten battle command. It is designed for the regimental colonel and brigadier general, and requires several vehicles to be deployed in full. It incorporates support for non-line-of-sight communications via tropospheric reflector, full planning of fire support missions including the 4.1" gunitzer*, 4.7" moritzer**, 3.2" moritzer, 4.7" mortar, 3.2" howtar***, 4.7" howtar, 6.1" gunitzer, 9" multiple rocket launcher, 24" tactical ballistic missiles. This includes full normative fire tables and other planning systems. It also allows the regimental commander's staff full access to the digital map system through edits (nominally the regimental commander lays out a general "sketch" plan, which is then edited by lower level staffs to fit their specific situations, and on down until it hits the sergeant on the ground, in line with highly centralized Gallan doctrine) and planning. Finally, -LFK/R incorporates a digital "infosphere" system where the regimental commander can observe the progress of his troops in a single isolated chamber in virtual reality, which resembles commercial VR systems to a small extent.
The "Kitten battle network" replaces the old fashioned slide rule and nomogram method with digitization, cyberpunk neon, and computers, rapidly expediting the standardized planning process and looking cool doing it. Paratroopers will still be stuck making their plans on sand tables with sticks and leaves due to their lack of internal combustion engines.
*Combination of gun and howitzer, also called a "gun-howitzer". Pretty much every modern "self-propelled howitzer" is actually a gun-howitzer/gunitzer these days. Refers to a variety of 155mm and 105mm howitzers: XM2001, M109I7 "Spark", and Denel G7 Light Experimental Ordnance in this case.
**Mortar and howitzer combination. Also called a "gun-mortar". Examples would be the Brandt 60mm and 2B9 Vasilek. In this case it refers to the AMOS/NEMO 120mm automatic mortar and a fictional 81mm gun-mortar resembling the 2B9 Vasilek in operation and capability.
***Howitzer and mortar. Real life refers to a US Marine Corps modification of the 4.2" muzzle loaded chemical mortar built during the Vietnam War which placed the mortar on the 75mm "pack howitzer" carriage. The end result was a somewhat man-portable, light infantry specific heavy mortar. In this case, it refers generically to any towed mortars, such as the French MO-120-RT.