The U.S. Military Wants 'Smart Uniforms' That Can Combat Chemical And Biological Threats

Gunners Dave Archer and Paul Van Helvert, both with the Canadian 129th Anti-Aircraft Defense Battery, stand by at a Blowpipe anti-aircraft guided missile system position on the edge of the base during exercise Cornet Phaser, a NATO rapid deployment exercise conducted under simulated wartime conditions. The men are wearing nuclear, chemical and biological protective gear (including C3 gas mask). Wikipedia

FOX News: US military aims to combat chemical threats with ‘smart uniform’

In the next decade, U.S. soldiers could get new smart uniforms that are breathable but also designed to shield them from hazards like viruses and chemical weapons, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California announced on Wednesday.

The uniforms could be made of fabric that contains tiny carbon nanotubes that function as channels to let water vapor out, but at the same time block biological agents like viruses from entering. Each tube is tiny in diameter: a human hair is roughly 5,000 times wider. The lab said that that’s small enough to keep out biological hazards like the dengue virus.

According to the lab, the fabric— a technology they call “second skin”-- is more breathable than Gore-Tex.

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WNU Editor: You would still need to wear protective gear over the head, hands, feet, etc. .... but this will probably be a better and more comfortable outfit to have on when deployed to an environment that has a high chemical/biological threat level.