Watch as Royal Marines Test Out a Flying Jet Suit
The suit allows the marines to fly over the boats and land on the ship with precision.
A video has surfaced from Gravity Industries showcasing a Maritime Boarding Operation exercise from the Royal Marines where the now-famous jet suit is being trialed. We must admit the video does get us excited about the possibilities of the futuristic suit for getting on board boats.
The suit provides an alternative to using a helicopter and fast-roping which is a method that leaves the marines vulnerable to attacks and significantly slows down the exercise. The jet suit allows the marines to fly over the boats and land on the ship quickly, swiftly, and with precision.
“The vision with the Jet Suit is to provide extremely rapid access to any part of the target vessel, instantly freeing up hands to bear a weapon, and even retaining the capability to relocate on target or self-exfiltrate,” Gravity Industries said in a news release.
“This is increasingly seen as a revolution in tactical capability for many special forces and has much broader application beyond Maritime boarding.”
If the company sounds familiar it’s because we have already featured them before. Back in September, we reported that the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) — a U.K. registered charity that provides helicopter emergency services — was testing the flying suit with the potential of adding it to its fleet.
The charity was hoping to fly paramedics up to hard-to-reach places using the jetpack, which would allow them to save lives by reaching emergencies in no time.
We are also not surprised to see the jet suit used in military applications. Back in October of 2019, we reported how the suit was being equipped with a helmet-controlled shoulder-mounted pellet rifle, making it ready for battle.
Indeed, the suit has been making headlines for quite a while now and with good reason: the jetpack offers an unparalleled experience of flight. “To feel your feet lift off the ground, that ultimate freedom of true flight. This will be a day you remember for the rest of your life,” writes founder and chief test pilot Richard Browning on his website, describing the experience of using the jet suit.
We must admit we do envy the marines for trying out the suits. They seem to float effortlessly over the two rescue boats and land on the target vessel gracefully. They then return to the boats and back again to the ships in what seems like one smooth movement. There’s no doubt that this jet suit is bound to revolutionize military operations.
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