Russia To Test High-Tech Soldier Equipment System

The Russian Defense Ministry announced Wednesday that the Army is testing a future high-tech soldier equipment system and plans to stage exercises with the equipment as part of state trials. "Soldiers have started intensive trials of elements of the equipment, including for riflemen, scouts, mechanic-drivers, as part of military trials exercises. We also intend to carry out unit trials based on these systems," Defense Ministry ground forces spokesman Lt. Col. Nikolai Donyushkin said. "The system has protection against environmental threats from weapons of mass destruction and non-lethal weapons, command and information systems, communciations, sensors, navigation systems, life support systems, protective eye-wear, sound-protection, thermal wear, water filtration, and body armor," he said. In 2011, Russia and France were in talks over the purchase of an evaluation batch of its FELIN future infantry system.