Vehicle Operations Suit
| Armored Exo-Suit | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tactical Armor | Combat Assault Suit | Command Armor |
| Combat Engineer Suit | Combat Scout Suit | Survival Armor |
| Vehicle Operations Suit | Civilian Exo-Suit | Civilian Auxiliary Forces Armor |
The Vehicle Operations Suit (V/OS) is designed as the standard armor for vehicle and starship crews within The Initiative.
Design Details
Helmet
Designed similarly to the armor helmet on the Survival Armor, the helmet for the Vehicle Operations Suit (V/OS) is designed to be rated against vacuum and hostile environments, integrating a headsup display and polarized visor. However, while the V/OS is capable of using the helmets shared by armor used the rest of the armed forces, the helmet designed for the V/OS is designed with a slimmer profile, created at the cost of sacrificing armor, in order to allow the wearer to have less cramped spaces inside a vehicle. A further sacrifice of the design compromises is in the sensor pickups, which are not as powerful as regular combat armor.
Because the helmet is rated for vacuum, it integrates an internal oxygen recycler, using genetically engineered plant life to filter out and recycle carbon dioxide. A secondary, non-organic, filter removes any plant contaminants from the air that is then provided to the wearer, though is not strictly required. In an oxygenated environment, vents in the helmet can be opened to allow for external oxygen to be filtered in. However, the helmet of the V/OS contains a larger number of high-capacity data transfer points, to allow the helmet to feed in information directly to the crew via their suits, rather than forcing to rely solely on displays within their craft.
Body
The body of the armor is designed as a modular system, to allow components such as the greaves, gauntlets, pauldrons, and so forth to be exchanged or removed entirely as needed for repairs or modification. The armor is covered in composite armor designed from an ablative ceramic plating over a hardened metal shell. The interior of this shell is honeycombed, with pockets of dilatant gels intended to minimize the ability of a munitions to penetrate through to the wearer. Additionally, these gel pockets are used to adjust the interior temperature of the suit to the preferences and needs of the wearer, and contain sensors to monitor the physical statistics of the wearer, and adjust systems as needed to compensate or assist. Both the armor plating, and the dilatant gel pockets are thinner and less dense than regular armor, as part of the trade-off of bulk and mobility.
Housed in the torso and legs of the armor is a highly efficient water reclamation system, intended to minimize moisture loss and allow for personnel to remain armored for extended periods as needed. The system also allows for the filtration of water pumped in from environmental sources such as stream, or melting ice. The muscles of the suit are comprised of twisted carbon nanotubes, utilizing an ion-based actuation, mimicking the form of biological muscles. This affords the operator enhanced speed and strength when compared to a person not equipped with such a suit. However, these muscles are of a lesser density, providing less lifting power than regular combat armor.
