WATCH: Australian Army soldiers are pretty smart

The Australian Army has found a fairly ingenious way of helping machine gunners hold their weapons steady. Gunners need to be able to do this while standing, and sometimes that can be easier said than done. The Australian Army has come up with a great solution. It's called the Reaper and it looks pretty rad. The Reaper Weapon Support System (RWS) is a backpack that gunners can wear. It helps redistribute some of the weight from the machine gun across the gunner's back. That makes it easier to stand, easier to fire, and easier to stay alive. 

Ask any gunner what it feels like after a day in the field and they'll tell you they're tired. Especially after a long ruck or a never-ending FTX, the last thing a gunner wants to worry about is how to properly fire. The Australian Army uses the RWS to help its soldiers get in more firing practice. And it helps them save reserves and energy for when they really need it. The Reaper helps them get more rounds on target and reduce how far their barrels wander due to flagging arm strength.

The Australian Army has been around since 1901. Some of the colonial forces were officially united in 1903. Since then, the Australian Army has shifted to meet the needs of the country. It has participated in both World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. Unit 1916, it was known as the Australian Military Forces. Now it's officially called the Australian Army. Inventions like the Reaper show that the leadership of the Army is consistently looking for ways to improve the lives of those who are risking theirs for the country's freedoms. 

The Reaper definitely looks pretty sweet sticking over their back like a scorpion's tail.