Interview with Jeremiah Starr, Founder of MilSpec (Feb 6, 2060)

Tonight on WarCon, we interview the Chief Executive officer and founder of MilSpec Design Bureau, Jeremiah Starr. I'm Lisa Manning and this is WarCon, your top news source for all things military.

Manning: Good day to you, Mr. Starr.

Starr: And good day to you. It's good to be here.

Manning: Well, we're happy to have you. Before I get to the main reason you're here tonight, could you tell us a little bit about how MilSpec came about?

Starr: Certainly. My father, Langley Starr, was a military man and a SouthAm veteran. During his last tour, a new weapon system was introduced and put into action, the smart minelayer. The idea was that an autonomous drone factory would be planted in a conflict area and, using a nanite factory, it would produce mobile mini-mines that would plant themselves in the area and take out anyone without the proper safety codes. Unfortunately, the smart mines weren't so smart.

Manning: I remember that. If I recall correctly, the mines actually began targeting indiscriminately. I believe those were produced by -

Starr: Well, I think we can avoid naming names in regards to that fiasco. When the mines were placed, my father was in one of the first units to travel through our SAFE minefields. In the process, he lost both of his legs. As you know, the military offered cybernetic replacement to troops suffering severe battle trauma. What they don't tell you is that officers get them with no strings, NCO's must sign up for another 2 year stint and enlisted men, like my father, must sign for another 4. Unwilling to do so, my father returned and decided to work on ways to help our men in the field.

Manning: So he started MilSpec?

Starr: That's correct. He started by trying to make less expensive, combat capable cybernetics for wounded soldiers. That allowed him to fund research into his Jacksuit project.

Manning: And that was the precursor to the Powered Heavy Combat Suit.

Starr: Correct again. He decided that if he could find a way to offer our infantry more firepower and protection without sacrificing mobility, less soldiers would have need of cybernetic limb replacement.

Manning: Which brings us to the project you've just completed preliminary testing on.

Starr: Indeed. The problem with Powered Heavy Combat Suits is that they are just that: HEAVY. Even a base model weighs in at close to 400 kilos. What we've done is create a true merging of man and machine. Our new Full Body Replacements are more than just a weapon system. Soldiers that might be too injured to survive could instead be placed into an FBR. They'd be able to continue to fight but, more importantly, they would live.

Manning: Don't you feel that stripping them of almost everything that makes them normal will strip away their humanity?

Starr: We have therapists on hand to help them adjust. In addition, we have a model of FBR that looks completely human...including all the fun bits. *laughter*

Manning: *laughter* Well, that must be something to see. But doesn't all that metal weigh quite a bit?

Starr: Well, we've managed to use alloys to cut the weight down while keeping the structural integrity intact. Our FBR weighs about half of what the PHCS weighs. The heavy combat model does come in a little heavier but the level of firepower it wields is near the equivalent of a main battle tank.

Manning: Impressive. I assume you'll be testing them in a hostile zone soon?

Starr: Should be no time at all before we can do extensive field testing. At the moment, we are running assimilation tests.

Manning: Assimilation tests?

Starr: We're seeing how well the FBR blends into a normal urban environment. In this way, we can determin........