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434 Comments
- RomeyRome, on 02/14/2009, -2/+484http://i43.tinypic.com/1z172io.png
- inactive, on 02/14/2009, -5/+383At first I thought this post was going to be about Jedi.
- iFrix, on 02/13/2009, -12/+323The future soldiers look kinda like the Hellghast from Killzone. All they need are "glow in the dark" eyes.
But it is well worth the cost I think. After all the more men survive, the better. - canadaboy, on 02/14/2009, -7/+240NOT ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION
- Neb28, on 02/14/2009, -2/+226the real question is, is that WWII value a real value, updated for inflation?
- CTK14A, on 02/14/2009, -10/+215http://i44.tinypic.com/hwcmxs.jpg
- GawtMilk, on 02/14/2009, -1/+189$11 USD in 1941 is $170 today, and I know for a fact they were spending more than $11 in per soldier in 1941 (four grandparents served in WWII).
$170 USD in 1941 is $2,600 today [start of WWII costs].
$170 USD in 1945 is $2,080 today [end of WWII costs].
$1,112 USD in 1959 is $8,300 today [start of Vietnam costs].
$1,112 USD in 1959 is $7,700 today [start of US in Vietnam costs].
$1,112 USD in 1975 is $4,900 today [end of Vietnam costs].
$17,500 USD in 2003 is $20,900 today [start of Iraq costs]. - levitron, on 02/13/2009, -0/+143If we're going to be completely pragmatic about cost, we should also factor in how much each soldier costs to train, and how much experience is worth as a soldier gets more...experienced (sorry, couldn't think of another word). They're protecting an investment, to some extent, right?
- CoreyTamas, on 02/13/2009, -12/+148The last guy is so badass because HE KILLS PEOPLE WITH HIS MIND!
Actually, I didn't understand any of that stuff, but it looked pretty good. - mu0p, on 02/14/2009, -0/+113A lot of work and research goes into graphics like these. Next time don't be a dick and try to cite your sources or credit the authors and publishers.
- LimeParrot, on 02/14/2009, -1/+97Hmm, when you think about it, "glow in the dark eyes" are a pretty terrible idea in war. Just asking for a headshot at night.
- rogueblade, on 02/14/2009, -7/+90i look forward to the day we wear plastic storm tropper outfits for much cheaper than what we see here
- Countess666, on 02/14/2009, -3/+72you don't even have to put a value on someone's life to justify these costs.
it takes many many times more money to train a soldier then it costs to outfit him.
spending more to protect that investment is just the sensable thing to do.
and thats before the cost a life, and the political fallout from fatalities. - zyklon, on 02/14/2009, -4/+65Tis truth. All the kevlar and ceremic body armor costs a lot. The cost differences are really a matter of quality. Until the mid-80's, Soldiers and Marines hardly even wore body armor at all. Now, there's many different types and it's all expensive because it's very high-quality.
I say it's worth it though. There's no way to place a value on someone's life. - thebigredcat, on 02/14/2009, -1/+61The problem with Stormtrooper (Star Wars variety, rather than the Nazi variety) outfits is the Killed to wounded ratio. Ever see a Stormtrooper survive a wounding?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym-xHehd4NI - Munk3y, on 02/14/2009, -5/+64I say give them what they need. I know if I were out there, I'd want the gear to handle what I needed it to handle. War is already expensive as all hell and the cost is always going up. The one part of a war expense I will never complain about is money to protect the troops.
- bakaloba, on 02/14/2009, -3/+56I want some golves.
Honestly who proof reads this *****? How can you miss a mistake in about 100 words? - staticsynapse, on 02/13/2009, -5/+58Sources on the numbers and a more detailed list would be nice. How can so few items add up to so much? Especially considering the scale those items are being produced and bought on, there's got to me more equipment not pictured.
Or maybe the special forces guys with all the latest and greatest gear jack up the average price per load out. - GawtMilk, on 02/14/2009, -1/+52Nah. Both grandfathers, both grandmothers. Sure, the grandmothers weren't on the front lines but they were still working for the government / army in the war; so they've told me a lot about what it was like being part of "the machine". My grandmother (father's side) was a riveter and she told me about the cost of her riveting gun and uniform (fifteen dollars).
- GrooTheWanderer, on 02/14/2009, -7/+58"The pioneers of the warless world are the youth who refuse military service."
- Albert Einstein - Shipyaad, on 02/14/2009, -0/+46...this was supposed to be my weekend off, but noooo. You got me out here draggin' your heavy ass through the burnin' desert with your dreadlocks stickin' out the back of my parachute...
- Azerael, on 02/14/2009, -4/+50It's cheaper to not start wars in the first place.
- pintomp3, on 02/14/2009, -6/+50"How can so few items add up to so much?" Military Industrial Complex.
- siszam, on 02/14/2009, -11/+54That's true. I wish the government would learn that and stop starting wars.
- inactive, on 02/14/2009, -4/+45That's what i'm wondering.This is useless without that info.
- nomadxx7, on 02/14/2009, -1/+37Don't you know anything. They need an arc reactor the size of a softball and the only way to do that is take the prodigy in the weapons field, have him get hit with shrapnel, get taken hostage and then build it in a cave with his bare hands. Geez. Don't you watch any documentaries.
- coyote1284, on 02/14/2009, -2/+36@passedout
I have 4 paris of grandparents. My mother divorced twice and is currently married to #3. (Bio-father never re-married.) - skyjis6, on 02/14/2009, -0/+33As a soldier, i wouldn't mind the US spending 30,000$ on my basic equipment load. Buying 3 less F35s could free up over 200 million for that. (yeah air force =] ) It's all give and take.
- BenTheTank, on 02/14/2009, -6/+38*****.
No sources, no hard facts, not adjusted for inflation.
What is the agenda here? - buckrogers1965, on 02/14/2009, -1/+31You don't think a hammer really costs $800, or a toilet seat costs $2000 do you? All the extra money goes to fund black ops programs.
- 12340987, on 02/14/2009, -2/+31but it would look so cool
- Munk3y, on 02/14/2009, -2/+31Troops are trained and geared regardless of whether there's a current war or not.
- anonymousmedic, on 02/14/2009, -0/+26I think your underestimating the amount of tech and exotic materials the future soldier program is utilizing. The current prototype suit looks like something from Crysis (Not ***** you, the helmet actually looks based on motorcycle designs).
- nmanguy, on 02/14/2009, -1/+25It might be 17k, but at least less people are dying percentage-wise.
- Peko, on 02/14/2009, -2/+256:30 Wake
7:30 Squash
8:30 Breakfast Meeting
9:30 Conference Call with Western Distro
11:15 Followup meeting with VP HR
12:45 Lunch with Jon
2:00 Military Industrial Complex
4:00 Pick up kids at soccer/karate - PiRATE7, on 02/14/2009, -1/+22wheres the laser guns?!
- DrSnugglebunny, on 02/14/2009, -1/+21Wounded/kill ratios are not so useful when you consider the enemies faced... e.g. well-trained Axis soldiers with similar gear in WWII, jungle guerillas who know the terrain in Nam.
- inactive, on 02/14/2009, -3/+23That's part of it.
You're also asking a manufacturer to produce a product for a single source buyer. It's a limited market with no guarantee of sales beyond a given point.
The manufacturer needs to recover what is often costs well in excess of the actual part.
Is there abuse of the system. Most definitely. - jeexbit, on 02/14/2009, -4/+23As a citizen, I wouldn't mind the US military staying out of other countries.
Just sayin... - duckylam, on 02/14/2009, -0/+19"If you load a mudfoot down with a lot of gadgets that he has to watch, somebody a lot more simply equipped - say with a stone ax - will sneak up and bash his head in while he is trying to read a vernier". Starship Troopers.
- scyphozoa, on 02/14/2009, -1/+20This really makes me want to create my own PMC
- Coolaznrice, on 02/14/2009, -10/+28Personally, i think the military should use its entire budget to create an Iron Man-esque suit and have a one man army.
- inactive, on 02/14/2009, -0/+18Well.. the only think that doesn't make sense to me is why they would add the "knee and elbow pad" thing.. that certainly can't add too much to the cost. And in the future... those will be INTEGRATED! oooh...
- zyklon, on 02/14/2009, -3/+21Last year called, they want their joke back.
- inactive, on 02/14/2009, -13/+30Whatever hippie.
- Asianwaste, on 02/14/2009, -0/+17or the fact that the first half were during draft years and the second half was during volunteer years where a single death can cost a few hundredk in life insurance.
- clyentnine, on 02/14/2009, -1/+18But can it run Crysis?
- crossmr, on 02/14/2009, -3/+19millions? Dude takes a bullet in his leg and it costs millions? Are you using gold plated doctors to treat him?
- jeremyduffy, on 02/13/2009, -7/+23Bogus. Powered armor will cost way more than that... and look really badass to boot.
- nomadxx7, on 02/14/2009, -1/+17President Thomas Whitmore: I don't understand, where does all this come from? How do you get funding for something like this?
Julius Levinson: You don't actually think they spend $20,000.00 on a hammer, $30,000.00 on a toilet seat do you?
And now you know.... and KNOWLEDGE IS POWER *star shoots across screen* -
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