“Is it better to be feared or respected?
I say, is it too much to ask for both?”
—Iron Man (2008)
It’s really ironic to love a figure like Iron Man in a time when war, terrorism, and international conflicts permeate our reality. However, tensions have existed since Stan Lee created him, over 50 years ago. The author wanted to make a despicable character that represented greed, capitalists’ lack of interest, and of course, their obsession with war. Tony Stark is a weapons designer. He’s the leader of the defense industry and an absolute narcissist. The creator never imagined this character would become so popular and, would never have predicted how he would only become more beloved over time.
In both film and current portrayals, Stark is represented as an antiwar hero. And yet, this fictional character served as an inspiration to create a truly destructive weapon. The technological landscape is focused in copying Stark’s suit in order to create a more agile and effective supersoldier.
In other words, American companies are planning to create thousands of Iron Men that will exceed any army in the world. If they achieve this, no one will stop them.
Legacy Effects, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon are companies focused on ballistics, weapon accuracy and telemetry, special effects, and military engineering. They want to create a suit capable of protecting soldiers from any danger, while also reducing the weight they have to carry. Because a soldier’s armor can weigh up to 110 lbs, they’re focused on reducing it to the bare minimum. It might seem like a plot from a science fiction story, except that this vision is actually coming to reality.
The first prototypes of Project TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit) were also named after the ancient story of the bronze giant that protected Crete from invaders. During the presentations of the project they presented it as a technological advance that will protect soldiers from any danger, instead of explaining its potential as a weapon. In other words, they’re creating an invincible armor capable of surpassing any soldier of the world.
If we look beyond that positive feature they’re selling, we’ll find that this creation is actually focused on creating the best army in the world. So, in the case of war, they’ll be able to defeat any combatant and, therefore, have immediate control over them. If this creation falls into the wrong hands, they can create the perfect army to invade any nation. In the same way, if the US is creating something like this, there’s a big chance actually any other country might be developing a similar system. Rather than achieving peace, these inventions will only lead to more complex and harmful consequences. This is especially true of civilians, who would face catastrophe without proper protection.
What this project really aims at is to improve movement. The armor would actually be twice as heavy as a regular person, but thanks to technology, the individual won’t have to actually carry it. It’s built as an exoskeleton. Through small engines, it will impulse any movement the individual makes. If they need to run, this will make them run even faster, hit harder, and not get tired, since the armor will be the one making the tough job.
In addition to that, there are several features like the fictional version such as a computer that monitors the body and makes the exoskeleton work. It includes night vision, precision scopes, and a helmet that increases peripheral vision. The only thing that they haven’t developed is the propelling technology that allows Tony Stark to fly.
However, the most striking and terrifying aspect is that the armor is bulletproof. It’s said that it will be made from a semi-liquid material that will solidify to protect the user. Thus, they will make the soldiers immune to any common bullet.This will definitely create the perfect soldiers.–
Project TALOS plans to launch their creation in 2018. However, they still have to test their prototype and perfect it, so it can be commercialized for military use. Although it may sound incredible to watch a real Iron Man, it won’t be seen that way for those fighting against them. This type of technology, paired with Elon Musk’s plans for humanity, makes us think that the future won’t be as bright as we think. Instead we can’t help but feel that we’re running towards a dystopian landscape from a science fiction movie.
So, are we still going to love Tony Stark?
*Sources:
History
Economist
Pulzo
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Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
