Watch as Ex-Royal Marines Reservist Richard Browning flies a 1000bhp jetpack suit off of HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Browning started up his company ‘Gravity Industries’ in 2017, and has been showing off his jet suit since then. The suit uses six tiny jet engines — two mounted on the wearer’s back, with an additional two mounted on each arm — which allows the user to fly through the air in a controlled flight.

The Jet Suit Specifications

  • Power; 1050bhp
  • Turbines; 5
  • RPM; 120,000
  • Fuel; Jet A1 or Diesel
  • Dry weight; 27kg
  • Flight time; 5-10 minutes
  • Current speed record; 32mph
  • Altitude limit; 12,000ft
gravity experience
Image via Gravity Industries.

Currently, noise and flight time (or lack thereof) make these suits impractical for use in military service, sadly. Plus, the suit sells for $440,000…

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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26 COMMENTS

  2. We can radically increase the number of ‘aircraft’ the QE class can field if we equip the Marines compliment with jet packs.

  5. Nice Harrier, we still have a few RN harriers at Culdrose don’t we, or is it Yeovil, anyway I hope they don’t chop them up!

    • At the last count, there’s 14 Sea Harriers at Culdrose, including a rather fetching black T8.

      All form part of the School of Flight Deck Operations, which includes 4 mock F35 airframes, prototype Merlins and I believe some retired Sea Kings.

        • They can still taxi and as you can imagine, still chuck out one hell of a racket. The physical moving and taxiing of aircraft, multiple airframes (rotary and fixed wing) as well as the noise generated is all part of the training, partly due to the reduced communications this entails.

          You probably already know, but the dummy flight deck is based on an Invincible class carrier, minus the ski-jump (though it is recreated in 2D). The four F35 airframes were locally built and are similar to the replica airframes you see on poles as gate guardians. They’ contain large water tanks, allowing the more accurate representation of an aircraft loaded with fuel/weapons from between 16-24 tonnes. Two of them have an opening cockpit to practise pilot rescue – augmenting the already existing scenarios a Predannack.

          Back to the Harriers. Their engines have been limited to prevent any ‘accidental’ take-offs. A few tweaks and you would theoretically have an airworthy Harrier.

          I say theoretically with a great deal of emphasis. They are well maintained, with covered hangar facilities and regular maintenance to ensure that they can be used to effectively resemble a flight deck. But they’ll require a comprehensive nose-to-tail inspection. I would be worried about engine metal fatigue, flight controls, airframe hours & fatigue, certificates of airworthiness. If spare parts are needed, they’ll be increasingly hard to come by. The sheer cost of all that might prove prohibitive. You’d also have to factor in finding someone to fly the thing, bearing in mind the SHAR left service in 2006.

          I believe two Culdrose Harries, including the T8 have been taken to St Athan (if memory serves me). Hopefully that is the start of something positive.

          • I forgot to add:

            RNAS Culdrose/Predannack Airfield is must see for anyone who likes older airframes. The requirement for flightdeck training and rescue operations has seen a variety of older airframes preserved at Culdrose, such as Wessex, Sea King and Lynx. The ones at Predannack are sadly in a state of disrepair and open to the elements, but includes a Jaguar among others.

            HMS Sultan has a fair whack of old airframes too.

          • Morning Lusty.

            Thanks for a most interesting post. I was indeed aware of SOFDO and the dummy deck, but not that level of detail you described regarding the Sea Harriers or the F35 mock ups. Filled with water! Well well.

            I have snooped around Predannack. I recall seeing a Dominie. I think that area is used for fire fighting training.

            Curious about the 2 taken to St Athan? Any guesses as to why?

          • You’re most welcome.

            I’m not too sure what’s planned for them. Both have been re-registered on the civilian register. It’s much rumoured that they’ll be used for taxiing demonstrations or even to airworthy status.

            I don’t hold much hope, but it would be nice to see.

        • Aah that last line made sense of what was confusing me about your comments about flight deck length and the f18 which has been able to operate off the CdG’s shorter one. I see the US is developing a new simplified arrestor system, don’t know if it would be piscine to fit it to QE if it was eventually to get EMALS. Mind you I thought Trump was trying to get EMALS junked.

    • Visited the Fleet Air Museum at Yeovilton a couple of years ago and was surprised to 4 Sea Harrier just over the fence. They were clearly in good nick.

      Couldn’t work what they were doing there until I saw the first series of Britain’s Biggest Warship. I think they were the onces that the Navy were using to train the aricraft handlers for the QEC.

  8. He was in Brighton last week, now off the coast of the US somewhere. Possibly an effective way of ship-ship transport rather than using a chopper with associated costs? Easy to learn to do, safety, risk? Interesting anyway. Was this a formal trial or just a bit of PR?

    • He also was part of the Iron Man program that Adam Savage presented. Where they tried to recreate a working Iron man suit out of 3D printed titanium. Adam couldn’t get the knack of hovering, so Richard donned the suit. Despite the extra weight he managed to take off and fly around a parking lot, sadly didn’t do the hero landing though!

  10. I know this is seen as a bit fun and a curiosity, but it will be interesting to see where this technology will be in the next decade and if it can be adapted to a practical military application.

    Also very interested to know what the RCS of a section soldiers using these compared to a helicopter.

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