Who made the SAMAS

[Zer0 Kay]

In Erin Tarn's discussion of the SAMAS in Rifts Japan, Armatech is mentioned as the co-developers of the suit. The other developer(s) could have been some corporation, though I would guess it was more likely DARPA or some of the US armed services. KLS could have been involved with the Silver Eagle SAMAS, though with Armatech's license to produce Glitter Boy technology in Japan, it too is likely Armatech's work.

Confirmed by material in Rifts: New West, page 181;
at Area 51, Bandito Arms found prototypes of the SAMAS.

Since it is HIGHLY unlikely that even such a Japanese Mega-corp like Armatech would have been allowed to/into Area 51, chances are that the original idea was probably developed by the US (and perhaps by extension, the aforementioned Defense Advanced Research Planning Agency), and perhaps improved upon by Armatech...

Gee isn't that what I said about Area 51? no way DARPA having their hands in something being developed at Area 51 The system being developed at Area 51 lends itself to exclusive use by the USAF though.

[RockJock]

I still think that the Wild Weasal equipment would be put on an older Samas instead of a new prototype similar to the plane varieties.

[Zer0 Kay]

I still think that the Wild Weasal equipment would be put on an older Samas instead of a new prototype similar to the plane varieties.

?huh? you mean use one of the already built Japanese ones and just slap the packages on them?

[glitterboy2098]

PA-04 Eagle S.A.M.A.S. - the Joint Strike Fighter of the Golden Age.

Lockheed skunkworks is not a purely Air Force affilliated orginization. remember it got its start building for the CIA, then built several Airforce planes, but it also attemped to sell the navy on a stealth missile-cruiser as well as stealthy cruisemissiles, and i wouldn't be surprised if they offer to build the army something someday.

perhaps the army started the SAMAS line (given DARPA's spending on PA technology in RL), then Armatech/Lockheed won the lowest bid to turn it into a viable combat unit. at which point the penny pinchers in the goverment said "look, we're spending a fortune on this new super sub-carrier, lets see what we can cut elsewhere", and reduced the budget for the airforce and marines aviations expenses. so they threw in a few offers to buy as well, and then Armatech/lockheed produced the PA-04 A,B,C. (Army, Marine, Airforce models, respectively.) then NEMA is formed, and the requisitions commity says "we need a variant of this suit for our new plublicity group. make it shiny" and the Silver Eagle is born.

later prototypes would include the airforces wild weasel and the armies enhanced manuvering models, both tested at lockheeds facilities. (not Area 51. but only a few miles from it.)


after the cataclysm, the military had been forgotten, since most american assumed every PA they saw was NEMA (which had taken over operations and absorbed most other groups).

when the CS found the plans in the vualt, they assumed it was a NEMA only thing, and worked their magic to adapt it to their needs. armatech did similar, only without the loss of information.

[Zer0 Kay]

PA-04 Eagle S.A.M.A.S. - the Joint Strike Fighter of the Golden Age.

Lockheed skunkworks is not a purely Air Force affilliated orginization. remember it got its start building for the CIA, then built several Airforce planes, but it also attemped to sell the navy on a stealth missile-cruiser as well as stealthy cruisemissiles, and i wouldn't be surprised if they offer to build the army something someday.

perhaps the army started the SAMAS line (given DARPA's spending on PA technology in RL), then Armatech/Lockheed won the lowest bid to turn it into a viable combat unit. at which point the penny pinchers in the goverment said "look, we're spending a fortune on this new super sub-carrier, lets see what we can cut elsewhere", and reduced the budget for the airforce and marines aviations expenses. so they threw in a few offers to buy as well, and then Armatech/lockheed produced the PA-04 A,B,C. (Army, Marine, Airforce models, respectively.) then NEMA is formed, and the requisitions commity says "we need a variant of this suit for our new plublicity group. make it shiny" and the Silver Eagle is born.

later prototypes would include the airforces wild weasel and the armies enhanced manuvering models, both tested at lockheeds facilities. (not Area 51. but only a few miles from it.)


after the cataclysm, the military had been forgotten, since most american assumed every PA they saw was NEMA (which had taken over operations and absorbed most other groups).

when the CS found the plans in the vualt, they assumed it was a NEMA only thing, and worked their magic to adapt it to their needs. armatech did similar, only without the loss of information.

Uh... the protos were at area 51 a USAF installation. DARPA isn't doing anything with PA they are attempting to make an exoskeleton completely different. The armor is worn by the soldier wearing the exoskeleton not mounted on an exeloskelton worn by the soldier. So now your claiming that Lokheed's Skunkworks is in Nevada instead of California? The books already claim it was Area 51. Lokheed or Skunkworks was never mentioned.

[glitterboy2098]

Uh... the protos were at area 51 a USAF installation. DARPA isn't doing anything with PA they are attempting to make an exoskeleton completely different. The armor is worn by the soldier wearing the exoskeleton not mounted on an exeloskelton worn by the soldier.

not so. the exoskeleton project is a base for all potential Powered Armor. also, DARPA's exoskeleton project is part of the "future warrior" program, which will include the Exskeleton built into the body armor, as well as optics, weapons, medical sensors, ect. sounds like powered armor to me.

So now your claiming that Lokheed's Skunkworks is in Nevada instead of California? The books already claim it was Area 51. Lokheed or Skunkworks was never mentioned.

skunkworks maintains a testing facility in the nevada desert. the main office in in CA, but the test flights of all the new aircraft takes place not far from the "Area 51" everyone keeps talking about.

or do you think they'd let a top secret aircraft do all its test flights over a city?

and it only says the blackmarket found it at area 51. given that what the public calls "area 51" encompasses the skunkworks test flight area in their "this place does not exist" routine, its an easy mistake.

[Zer0 Kay]

Uh... the protos were at area 51 a USAF installation. DARPA isn't doing anything with PA they are attempting to make an exoskeleton completely different. The armor is worn by the soldier wearing the exoskeleton not mounted on an exeloskelton worn by the soldier.

not so. the exoskeleton project is a base for all potential Powered Armor. also, DARPA's exoskeleton project is part of the "future warrior" program, which will include the Exskeleton built into the body armor, as well as optics, weapons, medical sensors, ect. sounds like powered armor to me.

So now your claiming that Lokheed's Skunkworks is in Nevada instead of California? The books already claim it was Area 51. Lokheed or Skunkworks was never mentioned.

skunkworks maintains a testing facility in the nevada desert. the main office in in CA, but the test flights of all the new aircraft takes place not far from the "Area 51" everyone keeps talking about.

or do you think they'd let a top secret aircraft do all its test flights over a city?

and it only says the blackmarket found it at area 51. given that what the public calls "area 51" encompasses the skunkworks test flight area in their "this place does not exist" routine, its an easy mistake.

I've seen future warrior it's still just an exoskeleton the armor isn't even plate it's planned it will probably be some form of microcarbon tube mesh. The exoskeleton is only required to lift three times what the soldier can. The power supply is a ICE.

Skunk works isn't in a city it's in farm land and Area 51 is far closer to a city than it... Las Vegas. As far as I know all previous Lockheed tests have been performed at Groom Lake test facilities... which is... AREA 51. All tests of top secret projects are performed under the watchful eye of the USAF. The public probably refers to both as area 51 because their both inside the Groom Lake perimeter that marks off Area 51.

[glitterboy2098]

I've seen future warrior it's still just an exoskeleton the armor isn't even plate it's planned it will probably be some form of microcarbon tube mesh.

"its Still just an exoskeleton"

Key word- Still. as in "Right now, it is this".

but if you look at what the military has released on "potential future developments" you'll find that a suit of armed body armor built into the exoskeleton is on the list.

i'm not saying that thats what we'll make. i'm saying that for the purposes of RIFTS, that's what'll be made.

Skunk works isn't in a city it's in farm land and Area 51 is far closer to a city than it... Las Vegas. As far as I know all previous Lockheed tests have been performed at Groom Lake test facilities... which is... AREA 51.

so my story is still possibly right?

i'm operating off of what i read in "skunk works" by Ben Rich, head of skunkworks. the lockheed skunkworks test facility is a part of the groom lake facility, but is not on the airbase proper. so its in "area 51", just not where everyone thinks of.

lets just ignore this aspect. we both agree that the lockheed test facilities are at groom lake, what does it matter if we disagree on the milage.

[Zer0 Kay]

I've seen future warrior it's still just an exoskeleton the armor isn't even plate it's planned it will probably be some form of microcarbon tube mesh.

"its Still just an exoskeleton"

Key word- Still. as in "Right now, it is this".

but if you look at what the military has released on "potential future developments" you'll find that a suit of armed body armor built into the exoskeleton is on the list.

i'm not saying that thats what we'll make. i'm saying that for the purposes of RIFTS, that's what'll be made.

Skunk works isn't in a city it's in farm land and Area 51 is far closer to a city than it... Las Vegas. As far as I know all previous Lockheed tests have been performed at Groom Lake test facilities... which is... AREA 51.

so my story is still possibly right?

i'm operating off of what i read in "skunk works" by Ben Rich, head of skunkworks. the lockheed skunkworks test facility is a part of the groom lake facility, but is not on the airbase proper. so its in "area 51", just not where everyone thinks of.

lets just ignore this aspect. we both agree that the lockheed test facilities are at groom lake, what does it matter if we disagree on the milage.

:fool: but mileage is a big deal when gas is $3.00/gallon

[Blight]

Dose everyone know that area 51 was closed and all the materials were move to area 57 (somewhere a little south east of Denver i believe). All thats there is the building and toxic residue.

[glitterboy2098]

Dose everyone know that area 51 was closed and all the materials were move to area 57 (somewhere a little south east of Denver i believe). All thats there is the building and toxic residue.

apparently in RIFTS, it was either cleaned up, or just a coverup.

[Blight]

they better clean it good that place is a toxic death trap! half the people that worked and broke there gag clause did it because they have cancer.