France Launches New Exoskeleton Tests for Support Units

The French army has returned to the topic of exoskeletons by launching a new series of tests in its logistics units.

The maintenance brigade said it is testing several models created by RB3D and German Bionic under the supervision of military schools in Bourges, opex360 reports.

Interest in this technology arose more than a decade ago. The US military worked with the XOS-2 and HULC prototypes, and in France, RB3D developed the Hercule exoskeleton with the support of the Ministry of Armed Forces of France.

Exoskeletons allow the military to carry heavy loads without overloading their muscles. Passive models that do not have electric motors work on the principle of weight transfer to the ground, which reduces fatigue and increases endurance.

In 2019, the Defence Innovation Agency expressed interest in passive exoskeletons. And in 2021, Battle Lab Terre tested Canadian Mawashi models in French units. However, the results of those tests remained non-public.

The brigade is now seeking to test how well modern models meet real-world conditions of service: repeated loads, prolonged work during operations, and compatibility with personal equipment. The tests involve the brigade’s 8th and 4th regiments.

According to preliminary data, the 8th Regiment is working with RB3D’s Exoviti and Exoback models, while the 4th Regiment received an Exia exoskeleton from German Bionic, which is equipped with an artificial intelligence system.