"Batwings" for special forces

[Queasy]

Link - picture in article

Elite special forces troops being dropped behind enemy lines on covert missions are to ditch their traditional parachutes in favour of strap-on stealth wings.

The lightweight carbon fibre mono-wings will allow them to jump from high altitudes and then glide 120 miles or more before landing - making them almost impossible to spot, as their aircraft can avoid flying anywhere near the target.

The technology was demonstrated in spectacular fashion three years ago when Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner - a pioneer of freefall gliding - famously 'flew' across the English Channel, leaping out of an aircraft 30,000ft above Dover and landing safely near Calais 12 minutes later.

Wearing an aerodynamic suit, and with a 6ft wide wing strapped to his back, he soared across the sea at 220mph, moving six feet forward through the air for every one foot he fell vertically - and opened his parachute 1,000ft above the ground before landing safely.

Video of a basejump using cloth batwings

 

[BigJ]

All I have to say is "FVCK THAT!"

Sweet googley moogley.

 

[mflacy]

That is freakin badass!

 

[waggy]

hmm that would be fun

 

[mercanucaribe]

Count me out.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Thats awesome! Nice song in the background too.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Aeroplane, for those that didnt know.

Edit: Didnt wait until the end of the video to post that so I didnt see they have it in the credits. 😛 Oh well.

 

[maddogchen]

saw that in an episode of Top Gear recently, the video one i'm talking about. cept it was described as a flying squirrel. Looked pretty cool.

 

[slatr]

Where are the rocket boots with thrust vectoring.. oh nm , his ankles were locked.