7 best military gadgets ready for the battlefield right now

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Military forces live and die by their weapons, but those aren’t the only tools that matter in a battle. There are all sorts of gadgets and gizmos that can make troops safer and more lethal. Here are 7 of the best.

1. Backpack that can listen to enemy communications

The Wolfhound is an electronic warfare device that allows troops to both locate where radio operators are at and listen in on enemy communications. Operators who can speak the enemy’s language carry the backpacks on patrols and interpret what is said for ground commanders. If no soldiers who can speak the local language are available, the system can still record signals so that they can be analyzed later.

2. Virtual reality headsets

The Norwegian Army currently has tanks equipped with four spherical cameras an Occulus Rift headset that allows tankers to “see” the battlefield through the tank’s armor like it isn’t there. The Norwegian Army still wants to improve the system though, hoping to make it more rugged and responsive. While other apparatuses like the F-35 helmet have given this capability to some U.S. forces, the Occulus Rift is relatively free at only $600 compared to the F-35 helmet’s $600,000 price tag.

3. “Lightsaber” that cuts through steel doors

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Often referred to as a “lightsaber,” this device is the TEC Torch. It’s a breaching tool created by the Air Force that generates a 5,000-degree flame that can slice through steel in seconds. The TEC Torch was created at the request of special operations forces and works using cartridges that last for two seconds each.