See Also- Armor Systems of the Colonial Pact.

The latest in a long line of lower cost 'hard suit' type power armor systems favored by the Colonial Pact Army and various other civil security services for its lower cost and ease of maintenance. It trades the more flexible synth muscle design of more advanced suits for a hard servo type system with an overlaying of inter-connected hard plate armor typically backed by a flexible sealed spall suit to protect the user against kinetic impacts and burning form energy weapons.

(Caption: The grey colored Vikhr on the left is of Pact construction while the blue colored one is of ONI production.)
Mostly consisting of smooth armor plate on the outside with a distinctive smooth top helmet with the tri-optical system characteristic of the Vikhr armor system, as stated before it is a hard plate armor style power armor with overlapping layers of light to moderate weight armor plate. The linkages being composed of flexible armored mesh. Notable features include the shoulder pauldrons, the neck and collar armor protecting the more vulnerable mesh near the armors neck, and the large modular backpack system on the power armor's back.

A 'plate armor' style power armor relying on hard mechanical servos, interlinked hard armor, and some measures to allow for flexible joint movement. It is brute, simple, and generally difficult to kill at the cost of some mobility and wearer comfort. However it has been found in the years since its production this trade off was more then worth the reduction in price, trading the complexity and cost of a synth muscle power armor for the lower cost tried and true. As a result as said above it has become a favorite in the power armor trade, very heavily used in applications where the lower grade exo-suits would be hazardous or outright to dangerous. The two largest users being the private and commercial sector followed closely by the general issue variants of the Colonial Army.

The Vikhr is a solid armor suit more akin to is own miniature vehicle then something a user will wear, as a result its primary method of entry is via the back. The entire section from the waist up to the back of the neck including the backpack unit hinges upward once a release switch is pressed. The user then climbs in starting with their legs before pressing their midsection, arms, and head into the suit at the same time. The suit needs to be fitted and adjusted to the user's dimensions in order for its use and entry to be comfortable, however in emergency situations this fitting can be done directly after entry if the user can fit (most factory Vikhrs are set to the maximum size allotments in order to facilitate this). Once inside a switch on the inside can be pressed by the user's right index finger which will drop the hatch and initiate the suit's primary functions.

The Vihkr's primary method of control and operations is via a direct neural interface with the pilot via a port with a semi-flexible cable both directly behind the neck inside the armor, or slightly on the side for users with a side mounted DNI port. This link will automatically extend and link with the pilot (if programmed that way) when the armor is initiated by the right hand switch. This sysmte allows the user a full cybernetic link with all of the suit's area awareness and communications systems allowing a much higher level of efficiency both in combat situations and civil operations due to the suit not limiting their senses. It also allows for instant adjustment of suit systems via cybernetics on the fly.

Less efficient then using a DNI system it is however still possible to operate the power armor via manual controls present on the platform listed and described below.

• Intelligent Heads Up Display
  • An eye tracking customizable input mode allowing the pilot to operate various suit functions via eye motion and voice commands via various displays on the inside of the suit's helmet HUD. The sensitivity and the responsiveness can be customized to the operator's needs and preferences
• Forearm Touch Screen or Holographic Projection Interface
  • Either a contact style touchscreen or an interactive holographic projector for either individual or group use, it allows the operator to tweak the suit's operations in a more precise way. It also allows for complex interface of various weapon systems that would otherwise be complicated by a user without a cybernetic direct neural interface implant.
• Brain Electro-Chemical Monitoring System
  • Somewhat complex and requiring extensive hour long training operations to build up, it basically allows the computer to predict what the pilot plans or wishes to do based on the suits internal sensors dedicated to monitoring the pilots brain. It effectively allows the operator to broadcast his or her thoughts and intentions and allows the suit to act on these intentions. However this interface can be rather difficult to use between having to build up a profile for the suit to analyze and for the proper line between thoughts and intentions needing to be established.