The Jet Pak is Real

[Hornbein]

 

[phinds]

Wozers. The jet pack has been around for a decade or two at least but these look like new improved versions and I've never seen one used for ship to ship transfer. Very clever, although you'd think the bad guys would have to be deaf not to hear that something's going on.

EDIT: I see it' been a bit longer than just a couple of decades:

 

[Klystron]

Yes, definitely some improvements. Smart testing from boats over open water. If your gyros fail or you run low on fuel, you splash into water; though I imagine they use the jet turbine for gyroscopic stability. The hand/arm packs appear very "Ironman" in the Marvel comic sense.

 

[DaveE]

Exhibit A for how to know if you're wasting tax dollars on the military. Cute. Nearly useless.

 

[phinds]

Exhibit A for how to know if your wasting tax dollars on the military. Cute. Nearly useless.

Well, nearly is not entirely, but yeah, very expensive for the likely practical benefit.

 

[Borek]

Similar ones are also tested for search and rescue operations, so probably pricing is not that prohibitive.

 

[docnet]

the cool factor is there.

 

[Rive]

Exhibit A for how to know if you're wasting tax dollars on the military. Cute. Nearly useless.

I think it's not that bad. Definitely not battle-ready, but - well, military is not just about battle.

BTW with some additional light ballistic / tactical shield it'd be quite a spectacle...

 

[docnet]

They also come in electric and winged versions

I can picture NYC's Casey Neistat using it to commute to work.

 

[Borg]

If they could get rid of the need to stabilize with the arms, you could shoot while flying. Maybe if they were linked to the upper arm some way. Probably won't be long for that development.

 

[berkeman]

Similar ones are also tested for search and rescue operations, so probably pricing is not that prohibitive.

Yeah, I read about this on some EMS forums last year. The consensus was that since you can't carry much equipment and you need to wait for the hoist helicopter anyway to get your patient(s) out, there is not much advantage over the helicopter in the first place.