In a video released by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Adm. William H. “Bill” McRaven demonstrates his and his command’s commitment to the development of the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) during a demonstration held at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. USSOCOM and Adm. McRaven must have liked what they saw, because a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) has been issued seeking proposals and research in support of TALOS.

The TALOS suit is drawing some fanciful and tongue-in-cheek comparisons to Iron Man and HALO, but more practically is envisioned as an assault suit with enhanced mobility and protection technologies, something that the U.S. military has sought for some time. USSSOCOM’s TALOS program first became public at the 2013 Special Operation Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) and was accompanied by a Requests for Information (RFI). Since then, TALOS has undergone further development and received interest from a wide array of organizations, from the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“USSOCOM is interested in receiving white papers from a wide variety of sources, not just traditional military industry but also from academia, entrepreneurs, and laboratories capable of providing the design, construction, and testing of TALOS related technologies,” said Jim Geurts, a USSOCOM acquisition executive. “The intent is to accelerate the delivery of innovative TALOS capabilities to the SOF operator,” added Geurts. The TALOS BAA will remain open until Sept. 3, 2014.