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to quickly manufacture and deploy T-45d suits. The use of steel plating offered a considerable advantage against most small arms and used existing technologies and materials, allowing the U.S. Although the T-45d (and indeed, no power armor to date) had no built-in weapons, the operator could use any kind of weapon that could be fired by an infantryman. The ability to operate crew-served weapons and heavy ordnance alone is one of the key advantages offered by the T-45d power armor. The standard upgrade is a drop-down ocular. The helmet completes the third layer and includes an air filtration system, a bullet-proof vision slit, an electric lamp, and external ports that allow the operator to listen to his surroundings and double as attachments points for extensions. Its attachment points and power cell plug at the nape of the neck are essential for the operation of the full T-45d power armor, as the third layer consists of the armor, the fusion power cell, as well as the hydraulics and servomotors that allow the operator to carry heavy ordnance into combat and bear the weight of the armor. The recon armor is, in effect, the underlying chassis of the T-45d power armor model. Commonly referred to as recon armor when used on its own, it is a full body suit made of thick, processed fabric with integrated metal plating that serves as a platform for attaching the armor and on-board hardware. The second layer of the armor is part of the power armor proper. The first is a black body suit worn by the operator for comfort, insulation, and protection from injuries that may be sustained during the armor's operation.
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The T-45 model D (its most popular variant) is designed for a single operator and is patterned closely after the human silhouette. The most important was the implementation of back-mounted fusion packs, rather than relying on the limited supply of small energy cells, consumed by the armor at an alarming rate. This temporary solution would eventually become the mainstay of American power armor units, especially as subsequent upgrades reduced the impact of the mobility problems that plagued the early production runs. The speed at which it had to be deployed, less than two years after the development of power armor began, resulted in the creation of a stop-gap model utilizing existing technologies and manufacturing techniques.
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The T-45 powered combat infantry armor was the first design pressed into service in the Sino-American War, with its first deployments taking place on the Alaskan Front to counter the Chinese offensive. The following section is transcluded from T-45 power armor.
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