Power armor Power armor is the peak of armored infantry technology , initially developed in the West Tek Research Facility laboratories . Now , only the most technologically advanced factions with ties to pre - War military or government , such as the Brotherhood of Steel or the Enclave , have access to them , and only the latter possesses the technology required to manufacture new power armor models , such as the advanced power armor Mk II . In " Fallout 3 " and " " , users must obtain Power Armor Training before using power armor . The first version of power armor successfully deployed in combat was the T - 45 model , which originally ran on small energy cell s , burning through them at an alarming rate . In response , later versions were manufactured with built - in microfusion packs . The effectiveness of the T - 45 power armor was overwhelming . It served a huge role in pushing back Chinese forces , allowing individual soldiers to take entire towns , protecting the wearers from everything from conventional fire to head on missile impacts . The most advanced pre - War model , T - 51b power armor is fitted with a back - mounted TX - 28 microfusion pack which generates 60 , 000 Watts to power the HiFlo hydraulic systems built into the frame of the suit . Made of the poly - laminate composite , the T - 51b shell is lightweight and capable of absorbing over 2500 Joules of kinetic impact . The 10 micron silver ablative coating can reflect laser and radiation emissions without damage to the composite subsurface . T - 51b power armor and later models also include a complete waste recycling system . In one of the conversations with Ricky in the " Fallout : New Vegas " add - on " Honest Hearts " , it is revealed that the eyeslits of T - series power armor are bullet - proof . The Hēi Guǐ stealth armor kept the Chinese near the same level as the United States , but not by much . The armor ' s translation is " Black Ghost " . Background . Power armor is the latest development in personal body armor . This armor must be custom - fitted to the user and is so heavy that it requires internal micro - motors to allow movement . Hardening is a process that increases the protection of normal power armor . Advanced power armor is a completely new , post - War design of this Cadillac of the personal protection world ( tail fins optional ) . Models . T - 45 power armor . The T - 45 series was first utilized by the United States in 2067 during the Sino - American war , making the first version of power armor to be successfully deployed in battle by the country . The most common model was the T - 45d which was strong enough to fight against Chinese tanks . The first version , the T - 45a model , was powered by small energy cells and it burned through them at an alarming rate . Some later versions were either manufactured or retrofitted by the US Army with built - in microfusion packs , a technology that was developed later by West Tek . While the T - 45d armor is similar in its overall shape to the more advanced T - 51b power armor , it is significantly less advanced than its later counterpart , using riveted steel plates instead of plastic composite materials in its construction . Various electronic and mechanical subsystems of the armor are exposed on the outside of its casing rather than sealed within as in the T - 51b , making it far more susceptible to damage . In addition , a specialized body suit must be worn underneath the T - 45d ' s armored shell in order to facilitate linking the armor ' s servos to the wearer ' s actions , thus making the armor more bearable due to its heat dissipation problems . The latest known edition of the T - 45 line is the T - 45f model . T - 51 power armor . The T - 51 series of powered infantry armor is far superior to the previous model , the T - 45 series . It was developed in the laboratories of the West Tek Research Facility in California in order to replace the imperfect T - 45 units . The most common edition of the T - 51 series was the T - 51b model . At the end of the Anchorage Reclamation in January 2077 , the armor became standard issue for American Soldiers in the Army ' s Mechanized Cavalry Regiments . Now , after the catastrophic events of the Great War , these units are fairly rare and only factions with ties to the pre - war American military or federal government , such as the Brotherhood of Steel or the Enclave , have access to this type of power armor . The armor is fitted with a back - mounted TX - 28 microfusion Pack which generates an output power of 60 , 000 Watts to power the HiFlo hydraulic systems built into the frame of the suit . Made of a poly - laminate composite , the outer shell of the T - 51b is lightweight and capable of absorbing over 2500 Joules of kinetic impact . The 10 - micron - thick silver ablative coating can reflect laser and other radiation emissions without damage to the composite subsurface . The armor usually carries enough fuel to last for one hundred years . The latest known edition of the T - 51 line is the T - 51f model . T - 60 power armor . The T - 60 series of power armor was the pinnacle of powered armor technology in the pre - war U . S . military arsenal , far surpassing the previous two models , the T - 45 and T - 51 series . It was developed right after the liberation of Anchorage and was deployed domestically among U . S . Army units just prior to the Great War . U . S . forces stationed in the Commonwealth were one of the first few divisions to receive the T - 60 power armor . The armor set is similar in appearance to the T - 45 power armor , but boasts higher damage , energy and radiation resistance . Physically , the shoulders of the T - 60 are composite , double layered , and shorter than the T - 45d predecessor , while the opening valve on the T - 60 set is lower on the suit , larger , and has a slot for a fusion core . The breastplate on the T - 60 has two vertical handlebars , while the T - 45d has a single horizontal handlebar . The latest known edition of the T - 60 line is the T - 60f model . Raider power armor . This armor has been salvaged and restored to fighting shape by Raiders , long after the Great War . It appears to incorporate elements of both the T - 45 and T - 51 models , although it has been rebuilt mostly using scrap metal . Its jury - rigged nature means that it can ' t withstand as much punishment as most other varieties of power armor . Advanced power armor . The armor was created by the Enclave ' s skilled team of engineers and scientists after the Great War , as a result of a research program initiated in 2198 , part of a larger project to develop various technologies . In 2215 the first actually superior suit is manufactured , entering service in 2220 . Various accidents / explosions / deaths involved in its creation are classified by order of the Enclave ' s President Dick Richardson for the sake of the morale of the Enclave ' s personnel . It is composed of lightweight metal alloys , reinforced with ceramic castings at key stress points . The motion - assist servo - motors used in the armor appear to be high quality models as well , giving the wearer a heavy increase to their Strength ( + 4 ) . The suit has an auto - gyro system to keep it upright and the knees can be locked in position , to prevent the wearer from falling over , if , for some reason , he loses consciousness on duty ( e . g . takes a nap ) . Additionally , like the T - 51b power armor , it includes a recycling system that can convert human waste into drinkable water , enhancing the wearer ' s ability to survive . Advanced power armor Mk II . Like its older brother , the Mk II version is matte black with a menacing appearance , but with a few significant differences . It is composed entirely of lightweight ceramic composites rather than the usual combination of metal and ceramic plates , with a back - mounted power pack , instead of the built - in ventilated power unit of its predecessor . Early versions used under the command of President Dick Richardson in 2241 used a similar design to the standard advanced power armor . However , following the destruction of the oil rig , the Enclave forces who made their way to the Capital Wasteland had redesigned its appearance by 2277 , while keeping the " advanced power armor mk II " designation . Tesla power armor . Unlike the pre - Great War Tesla armor , this armor is a variant of the Enclave ' s advanced power armor jury - rigged with a Tesla device that is capable of dispersing a large percentage of the damage done by directed - energy attacks . Additionally , the armor makes the operation of energy weapons by the wearer easier , boosting the Energy Weapons skill of the operator . The only known suit of this type is the Gannon family Tesla armor . Tesla power armor Mk II . This armor is a variant of the Enclave ' s advanced power armor Mk II jury - rigged with a Tesla device that is capable of dispersing a large percentage of the damage done by directed - energy attacks . Additionally , the armor makes the operation of energy weapons by the wearer easier , boosting the energy weapons skill of the operator . Hellfire power armor . This armor is the result of a post - War research project undertaken by the Enclave at Adams Air Force Base . It was one of several concurrent research projects , including one on duraframe eyebots and ended up being the only one to be fully completed ; other projects , much to chagrin of researchers such as Whitley , were canceled in favor of the new model of power armor . This heat - resistant type of power armor is used by specialized Enclave Hellfire trooper s as well as a few regular Enclave soldiers . X - 01 power armor . An advanced suit of post - War power armor . Prototyped before the war , then specially engineered and fielded by remnants of the United States military after the bombs fell , it is superior to all pre - War models . Abandoned suits of X - 01 can be found throughout the Commonwealth with one variant in a pre - War display at the Galactic Zone area of Nuka - World . Midwestern Brotherhood power armor . This horned variant is used by the Midwestern Brotherhood of Steel , a splinter faction based in Chicago . Its origin is unclear ( it is possible Chicago housed some special research facilities or had the means to produce such suits for the splinter faction ) . Midwestern Brotherhood advanced power armor . A more advanced version of the former , horned variant , composed of lightweight metal alloys , reinforced with ceramic castings at key points . Possibly upgraded by many Scribes , as there aren ' t many advanced power armors among the Brotherhood . Broken power armor . Damaged power armor with reduced protection . Vault - Tec power armor . This suit of armor was probably created by Vault - Tec in order to give some valuable combat equipment to their Secret Vault thus ensuring a successful entry in the post - apocalyptic world . It closely resembles the military ' s T - 51b power armor . Vault - Tec advanced power armor . An improved and unique advanced variant , it used the same design as the earlier version . Athena power armor . An incomplete power armor project pioneered by the Enclave in conjunction with Poseidon Energy . According to initial tests , it had defensive capabilities above and beyond any other infantry armor in use before the apocalypse . Appearances . Power armor appears in every " Fallout " game . T - 51b power armor and its hardened version appear in both " Fallout " and " Fallout 2 " ( and was to appear in " Van Buren " ) , while the latter also introduces the Enclave ' s advanced variants . In " Fallout 3 " the T - 45d power armor is the general power armor that can be found , as most members of the Brotherhood of Steel wear it . The Enclave ' s variant suits of power armor are also encountered . A pristine set of T - 51b power armor is located in the Fort Constantine military base ( but can only be obtained by doing a specific quest ) , and a winterized version of the same model can be found in the " Fallout 3 " " " add - on . " " features the T - 51b and the T - 45d , while also bringing back the advanced power armor Mk I from " Fallout 2 " ; it also adds a new version , the Tesla power armor Mk I . Quite inconsistently with previous games in the series , " " shows the T - 51b model only once in the introduction of the game , and the Midwestern Brotherhood power armor is used instead in the game , including a technologically more advanced version , years before the Enclave ' s new model is developed . In " " , two versions ( regular and advanced ) based on the T - 51b with a similar appearance and a blue color appear in the Secret Vault , and are created by Vault - Tec . The power armor from the canceled " Fallout d20 " was a mixture of the T - 51b model and the " Fallout Tactics " PA model .