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This surreal 1956 magazine story predicted the soldier of the future — here's what it got right

This is what a lieutenant colonel in 1956 predicted the future soldier would look like. He got plenty of right.

An Army Magazine article from 1956 that made the rounds on Twitter predicted what the soldier of the future would look like.

In many ways, it was surprisingly accurate.

The author, Lt. Col. Robert R. Rigg, prophesized that these advancements — from night vision goggles, to helicopter warfare, to drone strikes — would come after 1974. While he was technically correct, many came later than he foresaw.

Here are 10 pieces of gear the "soldier of the future" has — right now.

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Radios that offer constant communication with fellow soldiers.

"The FutureArmy soldier ... will gain independence and action from an ultra-small radio transmitter and receiver," Rigg wrote. "This transceiver will ... place the individual soldier in communication with all other members of his fighting team."

Night vision goggles that help troops own the night.

"The soldier will be able to ... change darkness into day with one flick of a wrist on the infrared dial and switch."

Night vision was developed in the 1940s, but was not fielded in goggle form until 1977.

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Night optical/observation devices, or NODs as soldiers call them, are standard issue for most troops in the field these days. However, even Rigg couldn't predict the rise of even better gear, such as thermal devices that can pick up on the human body's heat signature.

Automatic carbine rifles to give troops more firepower against the AK-47.

Telescopic sights that help troops hit targets further out.

Helicopters to bring troops to and from the fight.

"Projected into battle-zone by three dimensional transport devices, this futuristic soldier will be able to arrive and surprise his enemy with a force and suddenness never before known."

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During the Korean and Vietnam wars, helicopter warfare became common.

The doctrine of "air assault" with helicopters continues to this day, and soldiers are often transferred to and from the battlefield in a variety of different helicopter types. The use of helicopters has also greatly reduced the number of combat deaths since wounded soldiers are able to get medical attention much quicker.

Helmet visors that offer a soldier more data about what's on the battlefield.

"The future soldier's helmet will be visored ... and will have unique functions in addition to its face protection."

Although not in service yet, the new "Iron Man" suit being developed by SOCOM, which are to be tested in 2018, are slated to have visors. Called the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, it is supposed to monitor an operator's vital signs, give them increased perception of the surroundings, and offer other high-tech functions.

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Compact first-aid kits that help every soldier become their own personal medic.

Towel and toilet articles so that troops could take care of their personal business in the field.

Guided missiles to take out enemy forces.

"To help you [destroy all military forces within a given area] ... flying artillery and guided missiles will bracket the region and seal it off by striking any aggressor reinforcements moving to the scene."

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Guided-missiles, or cruise missiles, generally use four different guidance systems: an Inertial Guidance System, a Terrain Contour Matching, GPS, or Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation.

In 1960, the U.S. Navy commissioned its first guided-missile destroyer, the Charles F. Adams.

President Donald Trump recently launched a salvo of 59 Tomahawk guided-missiles from two Navy destroyers at a Syrian air base in response to Syrian President Bashar Assad's use of chemical weapons on his own people.

Drone surveillance that keep a close eye on what's happening on the battlefield.

"Futurarmy soldiers will wait by their machines of war as these fantastic robot spies, called Owls, report on the location of enemy concentrations and installations."

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Aerial surveillance has been used since the Civil War when Thaddeus Lowe persuaded President Abraham Lincoln to use hot air balloons for reconnaissance.

Nowadays, unmanned aerial systems are often controlled by a remote operator that can see what's going on below, while also neutralizing threats with onboard missiles.

Rigg, however, did not seem to predict that a surveillance drone would also be armed.

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