The Special Forces May Be Getting Even More Special

							The Special Forces May Be Getting Even
More Special
By: Michael Ruiz



                                                           In the realm of Special Forces gear, there are
                                                           some new and improved pieces of equipment
                                                           that just may be on the horizon. Scientists in
                                                           various parts of the world are getting closer
                                                           and closer to making a soldier or person to
                                                           appear completely invisible.

                                                           Fact or Fiction

                                                          This is not just science fiction; this is the
                                                          beginning of science fact. Special Forces gear
has evolved a great deal over the years and this is what may be the next level of change. There are
several possible ways that the process could be done, but most of them are either ridiculously difficult
or extremely cost prohibitive.

The Main Theory

The most predominant theory that is floating around out there involves cameras and monitors. Both the
cameras and the monitors are nothing like what you might imagine. The entire suit that would make up
the main portion of the Special Forces gear would be covered in tiny cameras and LED’s. The cameras
are so small that a person would have to lean in very close to even hope to see them. The LED’s would
be slightly smaller than those used in modern flat screen TV’s.

The idea is that the cameras on Side A of the Special Forces combatant would take millions of pictures
per minute of what is visible on that side of the soldier. The opposite side, Side B, would use the LED’s to
display an image of the opposing side of the soldier. In other words, if there is a red ball on the ground
behind the soldier, the LED’s in the pants of the Special Forces suit would be showing a real time picture
of the ground and the ball.

Anyone standing in front of the soldier would be seeing a suit comprised of a movie that is exactly what
can be seen on the other side. This is the amazing part. The cameras and the LED’s are all possible right
this minute. Even the computer that does the work is basically there. The Special Forces could be
wearing a suit like this in the next five years. The only problem at this point is the perspective of the
movie being shown. Right now, if the soldier and the observer were both standing at the right angle, the
soldier would virtually disappear.

However, if the observer begins to move to the side, the movie will not quite look right because it is
showing the exact opposite side in relation to the soldier’s body. It is like one of those optical illusions
that only works from a certain angle. If either of the two point, the observer or the solider, shift to the
slightest degree, then the illusion begins to fall apart. The further they move from the center point, the
worse the skewing would get.

A computer could compensate by tracking movement and calculating an angle based on where the
observer is in relation to the Special Forces soldier. This would only work for one observer and the
computer goes from making a huge number of operations every second to making a hundred times that
number. Using a system of that nature, a solider could be virtually invisible to security cameras. There is
also a good chance that in low light or low visibility situations, the system could give enough cover to
create an element of surprise.

Every day, each aspect of the system is getting improved in the real world. Computers get smaller and
faster. Cameras get smaller and the resolution and dynamics of LED video gets more lifelike. Within a
few short years, it is more than possible to see (or not see) a Special Forces solider using one of these
suits against a single opponent or security system.

At this very moment, without any new technology, a Special Forces solider in full gear can drop into an
area with guards without as much as a whisper. A HALO or High Altitude Low Opening parachute drop
can put a near silent and near invisible soldier a few steps from another person without them even
knowing it. The gear that the Special Forces solider carries is amazing. From camouflage to silent or near
silent weapons, it is an amazing thing to see in action.

Pushing forward from that point every day, thousands of scientists and researchers look for the next
improvement in Special Forces gear. Whether it is a suit that makes the wearer invisible or a plane the
size of a matchbox that flies in and takes pictures of enemy camps, you can rest assured that it will be
something amazing. Every time you put on a Special Forces t-shirt or pair of pants, know that you are
being part of a bigger and stronger group than you were a few minutes ago. It is not just science that
makes the Special Forces great, it is pride.