The British Royal Marines have recently tested the capability of the Gravity Jet Suit to support combat and boarding operations on a ship. The Gravity Jet Suit uses over 1,000 bhp of Jet Engine power combined with the natural human balance offering an individual flying machine.
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The Gravity Jet Suit is used to conduct onboard military operations. (Picture source Gravity)
Richard Browning, the British inventor of the jet suit and the founder of Gravity Industries company, is a former British Royal Marine. Gravity was recognized by Guinness World Record for the fastest flight in a body-controlled jet suit in November 2019 at 85mph, 135kmph
The Jet Suit pack incorporates five miniature jet engines, each providing 22 kg of thrust, with two mounted on each arm and one in a backpack. It allows him to achieve vertical take-off and control his direction and speed of flight by using his arms. The suit comes with a helmet that displays fuel levels, safety performance indicators, and Wi-Fi for ground monitoring.
A man equipped with the Jet Suit backpack can take off from anywhere without any preparation. It can fly at a maximum speed of 50 km/h and can carry enough fuel for about five to ten minutes of flight. According to Gravity Industries, the maximum potential altitude is 12,000 feet (3,650 m). The Jet suit has a weight of 27 kg without fuel.
This new kind of flying equipment could allow combat teams to conduct different types of tactical operations in quick reaction time from land or sea platforms.
During the naval military exercise, one soldier fitted with the Gravity Jet Suit took off from a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) and land at the flight deck of the HMS Tamar (P233), a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel of the Royal British Navy. The first man was followed by two other members of a commando team also equipped with the Gravity Jet Suit.
In normal conditions, boarding operations are carried out using helicopter or helicopter, with the Gravity Jet Suit, Special Forces can think of new strategies and tactics to conduct this type of operation. The soldiers can take off from a small boat and land in a few seconds on a ship deck and then dropping a ladder that allows others to climb aboard. This type of equipment could revolutionize military maritime boarding operations.
