As intelligent and skilled at fighting as Batman is, his crimefighting career wouldn't have lasted long without the special technology at his disposal. Having billions of dollars and a giant corporation guarantees that sort of thing. Anyway, Justice League will expand the DCEU Batman's arsenal next year, including his Nightcrawler mechanical tank and his Flying Fox troop carrier. However, he'll also be donning a new and improved Batsuit as well, one that's looks and sounds more heavy duty.
Along with wearing his classic costume again, Ben Affleck's Batman will be rocking a new tactical Batsuit, and earlier today, director Zack Snyder tweeted out the first look at the costume. Snyder didn't provide any information on this Batsuit's specific functions, but given what Batman will be facing in Justice League alongside his new superhero allies, we have some ideas about what it should be able to do so he can operate most efficiently while in the field.
Give Him Increased Protection
During the Justice League set visit this past summer, designers hinted to reporters that Batman's tactical suit would offer more protection compared to his regular suit. So of all the entries on this list, this one is a guaranteed improvement, which is good, since Steppenwolf and his Parademons hit a lot harder than your average street criminal. It's probably not going to be as durable as the armored suit he wore when fighting Kal-El in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but the tradeoff is that he'll be able to move more quickly than if he was in that clunky armor. This suit should also come in handy if he accidentally finds himself too close to an explosion...not that he should make a habit of standing near those.
Boost His Strength
Protection is a nice addition, but let's not forget that Batman is a regular guy without any special powers. When fighting most of Gotham City's colorful villains, that's not as much of a problem, but against an invading alien force, he's going to be at a disadvantage. So, just like the Batman v Superman armor, we're hoping that the tactical suit increases his strength. We're not expecting anything at Superman or Wonder Woman levels, but since Batman is going to presumably be fighting aliens in person rather than just let the other Justice Leaguers, he's going to need an edge in the field. Sadly, doing extra pull-ups and dragging some tires won't be enough, but with some boomers in his tactical suit, he should ideally be able to take down Parademons with ease. Steppenwolf, on the other hand, will pose a more significant challenge.
Enhance His Vision
Along with the tactical suit itself, Ben Affleck's Batman was wearing a special pair of goggles in the photo Zack Snyder posted. Many jokingly compared the goggles to the ones Nite Owl wore in Watchmen, while some noted how Batman was wearing similar-looking eyewear in Batman v Superman's Knightmare sequence. Whatever the case, you can be sure that Batman isn't wearing those because he plans on going for a late night swim. Those goggle will most likely have special tech that improves his vision, whether it's letting him see in the dark or hone in on heat signatures. Human eyes only work so well, so these goggles should prove helpful navigating around more shrouded territory.
Provide Better Camouflage
Batman is a master of theatricality, deception and studying his surroundings. When it comes to crimefighting, that includes being able to hide himself effectively. If he charged straight into every situation like a rampaging bull, he would have been killed a long time ago. Whenever possible, he wants to get the drop on his adversaries so he can surprise them and catch them off guard. This would be the most difficult function to include in the tactical suit, but perhaps Bruce Wayne has installed a camouflage device within. He's already skilled at hiding in the shadows, but if he can actually blend in with his environment, that will make infiltrating enemy territory a lot easier. Unfortunately, considering the suit's size, it's doubtful that camouflage could be turned on for long, so Batman would need to be quick about using it.
Improve Communications
Costume designer Tom Wilkinson said at the Justice League set visit that Batman's tactical suit will be used to pilot one of his new vehicles, though he didn't say which one. So at minimum, there's some kind of system that communicates between this costume and either the Nightcrawler or the Flying Fox so Batman can properly fly it. However, it would also be great if the tactical suit had a special comm system built in so he can stay in touch with the rest of the Justice League. Batman already has communication with Alfred handled, but he'll maintain contact with his teammates if they get separated or have to have to coordinate a plan away from each other. Once Batman gives the other heroes their own comm devices, his suit can then maintain a secure connection with them.
Include More Specialized Weapons
Punches, kicks and stealth are powerful in the war against crime, but when those aren't enough, Batman turns to his arsenal of gadgets, which he's either built on his own or snagged from Wayne Industries. Most of these are tucked away in his trusty utility belt, and fortunately, the tactical suit will retain this classic fashion choice. However, beyond the typical smoke bombs and flash bangs, the tactical suit should definitely have some specialized weapons attached or built in that Batman wouldn't be able to include on his regular costume. An EMP device, a high-pitched sound emitter, things along those lines. Personally, I'd like the suit to have a Batarang launcher, just like what Christian Bale's Caped Crusader had in The Dark Knight. Just please, for all that is decent in this world, do not give him any guns! There's been enough controversy about that from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and more importantly (that's subjective), giving the Dark Knight a wrist gun would give off way too much of a Deadshot vibe.
