Raising the Bar: The Future of Individual Lift Devices in Warfare

In 2013's The Great American Jet Pack, Steve Lehto asserts that the idea of personal flight is a mirage, continually eluding the clutch of technological advancement. This article assumes that this assertion is incorrect; instead, it contends that advancements in individual lift (IL) technology are bringing human flight within reach. At some point in the not too distant future, mature IL technology will enhance a military force's ability to conduct distributed maneuver, undermine anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) defenses, augment autonomous systems, and defeat adversaries in complex terrain. Thus, military planners must better prepare for the integration of individual lift devices (ILD) into existing systems and future programs as well as develop methods to counter an adversary with an advantage in IL technology. A modest resurgence in military and corporate interest and investment is now apparent and has the potential to advance IL technology beyond science fiction. However, for promising international developments in IL technology to eventually succeed, civilian and military proponents must overcome skeptical views of ILD.