Behold the military dog of the future (only the future is now).
- This tactical body armor is wired with a collapsible video arm that uses a high-def camera mounted on the dog’s back which allows the dog’s handler to see what their dog sees by using handheld monitors. The camera’s lens is impact resistant, adjusts automatically to night vision, and is waterproof. Footage is stable because the entire module is sewn into the vest;
- There’s an integrated microphone and speaker in the armor. The proprietary speaker system enables handlers to relay commands at low levels to their dogs;
- A patented load-bearing harness could enabled a Navy S
EAL handler to rappel from the helicopter with his dog strapped to his body;
- The armor itself protects against shots from 9mm and .45 magnum handguns through weave technology that catches bullets, ice picks, knives and sharpened screw drivers;
- A silent hardware system prevents any metal to metal contact – no give-away sounds of jingling;
- The whole armor weighs between three to seven pounds, depending on the size of the dog and the level of protection.
We would say that the vest is the stuff of Science Fiction, only it’s the vest that may have been worn by “Cairo,” the Malinois who served alongside the 80 Navy SEALs who took out Osama bin Laden. Be sure to read the article to learn about what is planned for the next phase of development. It’s very cool stuff.
Photo of Belgian Malinois appears with the kind permission of Riley Slater of k9storm.com/