The US Army is studying ways to reduce the load on an infantryman from the current 40kg (88 pounds) to 25kg (55 pounds) while providing new weapons and technology. The Army is also continuing the studies of the Scorpion program, which will provide infantry soldiers with a head-to-toe combat suit with load-bearing body armor (able to stop 7.62mm armor piercing rounds), full chemical/biological protection, and a helmet-mounted system to determine if the soldier is being attacked or ranged by a laser beam.--Stephen V Cole